The replica 1862 canal schooner Lois McClure made a quick stop in Medina on September 13, 2010. The Lois McClure is operated by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Basin Harbor, Vt. The Lois McClure is modeled after two 1862-class canal schooners that were sunk in Lake Champlain. 

As the boat docked Monday afternoon, a crowd gathered in the canal basin to greet the Lois McClure and its crew. Museum Executive Director Art Cohn said they did want to make the quick stop to tell Medina how much they enjoyed their previous visit. 

“We wanted to show how special the visit was in 2007,” said Cohn. “Medina was one of the favorite spots. We really remember it fondly and want to come back. You made us feel so welcome in 2007 and now.”

Cohn presented Deputy Mayor Andrew Meier and trustee Mark Irwin with a picture from the Lois McClure’s 2007 stop in Medina. The document read: “In fond remembrance of the wonderful visit of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s canal schooner Lois McClure and her crew to Medina during our Grand Canal Journey in 2007 and the sincere hope and desire to return again on a future Erie Canal voyage.”

While speaking to the crowd, Cohn commented on the basin and how Medina has made it “such a vibrant place. Medina really stands out as a key stop on the journey,” he added.