The U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation approved Vermont’s Burlington Waterfront as the second site outside the nation’s capitol —and the first civilian site — to be awarded this honor. The Memorial includes a replica of the well-known U.S. Navy Memorial’s statue recognized as the “Lone Sailor,” along with various additions by Vermont granite company Rock of Ages — crafters of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. U.S. Navy Memorial sculptor and creator of the Lone Sailor, Stanley Bleifeld, oversaw the ECHO installation.

Lake Champlain is the site of two critical historic battles: Under the command of Commodore Benedict Arnold, the 1776 Battle of Valcour Island had a profound impact on the outcome of the Revolutionary War. During the War of 1812, the U.S. again defended Lake Champlain against invasion from Great Britain in the Battle of Plattsburgh Bay.

The Lone Sailor statue is made of bronze, stands approximately seven feet, six inches tall, and weighs an estimated one thousand pounds. It is placed in the center of a compass rose made entirely of Vermont granite. Behind the statue are six granite slants placed in a semicircle. Narrative descriptions of critical naval actions, and those Vermonters who have changed the course of history in those actions, are etched on each slant.