In 1609, Frenchman Samuel de Champlain was the first European to travel the lake that now bears his name. The region had already been home to Native cultures for thousands of years. In re-enactments set against the lake's natural beauty, and in interviews with historians and culture bearers, the new documentary "Champlain: The Lake Between" commemorates the Champlain Quadricentennial. It premieres Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. on Vermont Public Television and will repeat Dec. 13 at 7:30 a.m. and Dec. 14 at noon.

Caro Thompson's film tells little-known stories about Lake Champlain's critical role in the struggle for economic and military dominance during the early years of the United States and Canada. Trade alliances created both conflict and connections among Abenaki, Mohawk, French, English and Dutch people. Thompson said, "I was surprised to learn in making the film how much peaceful and practical activity there was among the cultures -- how they changed one another."

"One of the primary goals of the 2009 Lake Champlain Quadricentennial is to encourage learning and discovery of our region's past and present," said Bruce Hyde, chair of the Vermont Lake Champlain Quadricentennial Commission and commissioner of Tourism & Marketing. ‘The Lake Between' explores a fascinating period of Lake Champlain's history in a scholarly and engaging way. As we approach this landmark commemoration, Caro's film will serve as a wonderful educational resource and provide us all with a deeper understanding and appreciation of our region's complex history." Thompson will be Fran Stoddard's guest on "Profile" Monday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. on VPT.

This event is one element of the project "Lake Champlain Voyages of Discovery: Bringing History Home," funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Project partners are the Chimney Point State Historic Site, Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, Bixby Memorial Free Library, Vermont Public Television and Broadwing Productions.

Champlain College in Burlington will host an international academic symposium July 2-5, 2009 to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of the founding of Lake Champlain by Samuel de Champlain. It is the only academic symposium to be offered as part of the Vermont's Quadricentennial celebration.

The theme of the symposium, lecture series and an associated web site is "When the French Were Here." Experts from France, Canada and across the United States will gather at Champlain College, a private college that was named for the lake that it overlooks from Burlington's Hill Section.

Champlain College has also created a web-based resource about Samuel de Champlain at www.champlainquadricentennial.com/ which includes a history timeline, biography of Samuel de Champlain, maps and teaching resources for schools and parents.

Vermont will commemorate this historic event in 2009 with festivals, pageants, exhibits, performances, educational symposiums and much more. The College is coordinating its activities with Quadricentennial committees of the states of Vermont and New York.