My great grandfather, Moses Adam Knowlton, was a steamboat pilot on Lake Champlain for DECADES after the Civil War. His son--my grandfather--William Newell Knowlton also skippered on the Lake for some years in the 1890s. My Dad, upon hearing about "Champ" told me that NEVER did his Father even mention the "monster" as a joke much less taking it seriously. And evidentally old Moses ever talked about such a creature either. Seems to me that this "Champ" business "arose" sometime in the 1960s. But anyway, Port Henry and Essex need the tourist money. Good luck to them. <g> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ BILL KNOWLTON: "Bluegrass Ramble," WCNY-FM (91.3) Syracuse, WUNY (89.5) Utica; WJNY (90.9) Watertown NY. On the web: www.wcny.org. Sundays: 9 pm to midnight EST (since 1973)                     *  *  * 32ND "BLUEGRASS RAMBLE PICNIC:" SUN, AUG 1, DWYER MEMORIAL PARK, LITTLE YORK NY. 10 a.m - 5:30 p.m. FREE!(Preble exit 13 off I-81 betw. Cortland and Syracuse NY)