Keeseville Unveils Ceramic Mural Honoring Battle of Valcour Bay

A new ceramic tile mural titled The Battle of Valcour Bay is now installed at the Ausable-Chesterfield-Keeseville Civic Center in Keeseville. The artwork commemorates the 250th anniversary of the October 1776 naval battle on Lake Champlain. It features imagery related to the American fleet under Benedict Arnold, which engaged a larger British navy in the early stages of the Revolutionary War.

The project began in December 2025 with a field trip for students to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Ausable Valley Central School District library media specialist Sharon Bainbridge initiated the effort to mark the anniversary. She also selected the theme to feature a digital 3D model of the Spitfire, a gunboat associated with the American fleet. The museum recently created that model, and the mural includes specially designed tiles representing the vessel.

Approximately 70 students from Ausable Valley High School participated in the production of the mural. Art teachers Jennifer Winternitz and Rebecca Conklin guided the students through the creative process. Winternitz helped develop the grant application and organized the team. The two teachers also created portions of the mural themselves while working with the lead artist.

Gerald Gardner, an artist from Saranac, served as the visiting artist for the project. He designed the mural and contributed many hours to the layout, installation, and painting. Work on the ceramic tiles continued through June 2026. The final installation and painting took place between July and October 2026.

AVCS technology teacher Jim Caron transformed student drawings into three-dimensional stamps. Students used these tools to create images and textures in the clay before glazing the tiles. The process combined local history research with hands-on art production. Gardner worked with students during brainstorming sessions to develop the specific imagery for the final piece.

Funding for the project came from a 2026 Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership Local Heritage Grant. The grant covered the costs of materials, the museum field trip, and Gardner's time. It also funded the purchase of books related to the project for libraries at all three schools in the AVCS district. The partnership works with regional partners in New York, Vermont, and Quebec to promote the shared heritage of the Lake Champlain region.

The Battle of Valcour Bay occurred on Oct. 11, 1776, in the channel between Valcour Island and the New York shore. Arnold's fleet suffered a tactical defeat against the better-equipped British navy. However, the resistance delayed the British advance south toward Ticonderoga and the Hudson River. With winter approaching, the British withdrew north instead of continuing the campaign. That delay gave American forces time to prepare for the following year's campaign.

The mural is located in a building that formerly served as a high school. It now functions as a center for local government and community life. The installation connects the district's educational work with the community's history.