George Stones ELPA History Vision
It is the goal of membership to continue the vision (publishing the History of Echo Lake) set forth by of the late George H. Stone. Jr, chairman of the Echo Lake Protective Association History Committee which he established in 1993.
“The scope of this History of the Echo Community is to cover the time from the beginning of Echo Pond, the dam, major families, buildings then and now along with the happenings along the way. It is not our intent to duplicate the “History of Charleston”, written by Esther Hamilton.”
George H. Stone
Echoing Hospitality, By Greg Carpenter
Off East Echo Lake road, next to the Lake Seymour outlet, lies a business called the White Birch Lodge. Most people living around the lake are aware of it and have even walked by it on a daily basis, but have you ever wondered how this century old Mom and Pop got its start?
The location, known today for recreation and leisure, was the brain child of AC and Elizabeth Gallup. This Charleston, Vermont couple purchased the land from JS Sweeney on July 18, 1919.
In 1921, these two visionaries founded a popular retreat they called “Echo Camps”. Word spread quickly about their new lodging and the lake’s outstanding fishing. High demand immediately ensued. This development encouraged AC to add more cottages in 1922 and 1926. By 1931, landing a four-pound Laker became a common occurrence and demand for accommodations rose to levels that forced many hopeful guests to be turned away.
After a fantastic 15-year run, the Gallup’s sold their highly successful business to George Donovan in 1936. But before heading out to their new home in Eustis, Florida, a large farewell reception and party were given to Mr. and Mrs. Gallup by friends to thank the couple for their kindness and hospitality. The couple were so beloved here that the celebration went on for days.
Once George Donovan and his wife Lou of Stowe took over, they changed the resort name to the Donovan’s Echo Lake Club which they ran for 16 years. During their ownership, people from all over the world would vacation there. The Executive Committee of the New England Outdoor Writers would gather at the camp each year as well as renowned writers of fish and game magazines.
George Donovan, a restaurateur by trade, then sold the Echo Lake Club to David K. Patrick of Shelburne in 1953. At the time of purchase, Patrick stated “the fishing camp will be the first in Vermont to have canoe and guide service.” That service would include Echo and the surrounding lakes in the area.
The Echo Lake club was then sold to Elliot and Emelene Stearns of Tarrytown, NY, in 1958. During the time Patrick owned it, he became a federal Fish and Wildlife Service warden and was sent to Alaska. During that period of time David leased the club to 2 men from Maine to run it. By the time David decided to sell it, the cabins and boats had seen better days. Wanting to run a top-notch operation, the Stearns invested in the resort by having the boats repaired and the cabins renovated.
By 1970, Andy Pato had changed the company name to its present-day name- the White Birch Lodge. Today the White Birch Lodge is run by Linda Studer.
Looking back who would have predicted AC and Elizabeth Gallup’s foresight would still be felt around the lake today? Thanks to their imagination, fisherman and vacationers are still enjoying their innovation some 103 years later.
Sources
“Change In Management” The Barre Times, (Barre, VT.) May 6, 1957.
Studer, Linda, Interview, Owner of the White Birch Lodge, (Charleston VT.) November 11, 2022.
Kellogg, Colleen, Interview, Assistant Town Clerk & Treasurer at Town of Charleston, (Charleston VT.) October 3, 2022.
“Echo Camps Opened” Express and Standard, (Newport, VT.) May 8, 1931.
“East Charleston” Essex County Herald, (Island Pond, VT.) September 2, 1926.
Photos courtesy of the Charleston, Vt. Historical Society.
“East Charleston” Caledonia-Record, (St. Johnsbury, VT.) September 21, 1936.
“Holiday Due Restaurateurs” The Times Argus, (Barre, VT.) August 10, 1961.
“Echo Lake Club Under New Management” Essex County Herald, (Island Pond, VT.) April 11, 1958.
“David Patrick Buys Donovan’s Echo Lake Clun” The Burlington Free Press, (Burlington, VT.) August 31, 1953.
“Echo Lake Club Rendezvous For Fisherman” Essex County Herald, (Island Pond, VT.) September 4, 1947.
An Anomaly
By Greg Carpenter
This summer, I decided to stop by a yard sale taking place around the lake. As I scanned the items for sale, something unusual caught my eye. It was an old barn board framed lake map. The one body of water around our camp surprised me by being labeled Echo Pond- not Echo Lake. Thinking the map was pretty unique, I decided to purchase it and learn just how old the map may be. My journey to find that answer included a visit to the Vermont State Archives and the Vermont State Library.
The mystery tour began with a trip to the State Archives. There I learned about geographic naming Statutes and that the Vermont Board of Libraries is in charge of naming or changing the name of such things as mountains, roads, ponds or lakes, but nothing further. The answer to why Echo Pond is no longer used came from the Vermont State Library. One clue was found from within the United States Board on Geographic Names Domestic Geographic Names application. In the 1982 application, it stated, “All local officials and residents use Echo Lake as an appellation (sic) for this feature. The word “Pond” is no longer used. The document also revealed that three local residents from Charleston supported the name change. Recommending the change included two farmers named Jack Andrews and John Moffit and a merchant, Willard Blackburn. As to “when” the name changed, the U. S. Board on Geographic Names supplied the answer. Echo Pond was officially changed to Echo Lake sometime between October 1982 and June 1983. Oddly enough, though, the U. S. Board, which makes decisions before action is taken to change a name, never formally discussed the change.
In the end, the memo ended up just being reviewed and accepted by a member of the staff. As to the exact date the lake name changed, no one knows for sure. Maps dating from 1924 to 1974 would have been listed the lake as Echo Pond. In the end I guess I can be satisfied with that.
Sources: Shaw, April, Librarian, Vermont Department of Libraries, September 26, 2018
Geographic Naming: Vermont Statutes, Title 10, Chapter 9: Geographic Names
United States Board Geographic Names Domestic Geographic Names Report Vermont Department of Libraries, October 1982
What We Do
The Echo Lake Protective Association is dedicated to the well-being of Echo Lake and its surroundings. Toward that end, here are some of the things we do:
- Maintain the Access Greeter Program at the boat ramp, inspecting boats for invasive species.
- Maintain the Vermont Invasive Patrollers Program, conducting aquatic plant surveys to detect Eurasian Watermilfoil and other invasive plants.
- Maintain a Water Quality Program, sampling the water for clarity & chemical structure.
- Make available educational & communication programs such as newsletters, State bulletins on boating and land use, and water quality education issues.
- Organize and host educational workshops, such as the Septic Social and the Storm-Ready Workshop.
- Organize and coordinate participation in Vermont Green Up Day, cleaning up trash along the roadways bordering Echo Lake.
- Conduct an annual meeting open to all to discuss our plans and priorities.
- Host an annual family pot-luck picnic to promote community.
- Organize the COLOR Challenge to raise funds for the association and to promote family fitness and community interaction.
- Raise funds from individuals and through public and governmental grants to fund our programs.
- Coordinate and focus a dedicated group of individuals to achieve our goals.
Organization
Officers, Board of Directors, and Projects
Contact us: EchoLakepa@gmail.com
Officers
President Karl Koenigsbauer 2nd term will end 2026
Vice President Nick Dibble 1st term will end 2025
Treasurer Ann Hunsicker 2nd term will end 2025
Secretary Lori Kempton 2nd term will end 2026
Directors
Carol Martin 2nd term will end 2025
Susan McKenna 1st term will end 2026
Mark Bechtold 2nd term will end 2027
Elaine Carpenter 1st term will end 2025
Ed Borden 1st term ends 2027
Projects
Access Greeter Program
Karl Koenigsbauer
Water Quality
Holly Bull
Lay Monitor
Holly Bull
Lakebed Survey (Vermont Invasive Patroller Program)
Peggy Stevens
Lake Wise Program
Tom Wagner
Lake Watershed Action Plan (LWAP)
Tom Wagner
Membership
Elaine Carpenter
Echo Lake Merchandise
Dawn Bechtold
Community Outreach
Peter Bestenbostel
Color Challenge Road Race
Color Challenge Committee
Echo Lake Family Picnic
ELPA Board
ELPA Website
Kristen Wilson
About ELPA
About the Echo Lake Protective Association
The Echo Lake Protective Association of Charleston, Vermont was incorporated on October 3, 1970. Its purpose is to “work to maintain the quality of Echo Lake, the waters, native wildlife, and habitat for all to enjoy for generations to come”.
The initial six incorporators were: Arvin Anderson, Lyle Silloway, Karleene Lamson, Dexter Bennett, Andrew Pato, and John Sloan.
Initially, the association was a social organization, but since 2000 it has become very involved in preventing invasive species and maintaining our water quality. Echo Lake’s water quality is considered to be one of the best in Vermont.
ELPA has been granted 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service. We are a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation. Contributions to ELPA are tax-deductible.
Echo Lake
Echo Lake (East Charleston, Vermont)
Echo Lake is located in the town of Charleston in Orleans County, Vermont, an area known as the Northeast Kingdom. It is one of only two deep, cold, and oligotrophic lakes in the Clyde River system. The first Surveyor General of Vermont, Whitelaw, gave it the name of Echo Pond because when any sound was produced in its vicinity it was reverberated in various directions, producing a series of echoes.
The freshwater lake covers 530 acres (2.1 km2) and is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and 0.75 miles (1.21 km) at its widest, and drains a watershed area of 24 square miles (62 km2). Its maximum depth is 129 feet (39 m). The lake is fed by the outlet from Lake Seymour. The lake drains into the Clyde River, Lake Memphremagog and, eventually, Canada’s St. Lawrence River.
The outlet dam is used for hydroelectric power. Construction was completed in 1922 and was reconstructed in 1984. It is owned by Citizens Utilities Company. The dam is concrete with a homogeneous concrete core and a rock foundation. The height is 16 feet (4.9 m) by 120 feet (37 m). Maximum discharge is 693 cubic feet (19.6 m3) per second. Its capacity is 5,000 acre feet (6,200,000 m3). Normal storage is 3,180 acre feet (3,920,000 m3).
The lake supports a cold water fishery. There are wild lake trout. It also has rainbow trout (wild and stocked), brook trout (stocked), rainbow smelt, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, landlocked salmon, chain pickerel, longnose sucker, white sucker, burbot, various species of minnow, and probably others uncatalogued.
Contingency Fund
ELPA has set aside monies in a Contingency Fund for the remediation of an event in which an invasive species of an aquatic nuisance, plant or animal, were to occur within the waters or shoreline of Echo Lake.
The following Guideline spells out this fund’s purpose, scope, responsibility, establishment, maintenance, use, and disposal.
Contingency Fund Guideline Approved: May 16, 2024
1.0 Purpose:
The purpose of the contingency fund is to set aside monies for the remediation of an event
in which an invasive species of an aquatic nuisance, plant or animal, were to occur within the waters
or shoreline of Echo Lake.
2.0 Scope:
The monies contained within the contingency fund are for use in combatting the spread of
an invasive species found within the confines of Echo Lake.
3.0 Responsibility:
It is the responsibility of the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Echo Lake Protective
The association (ELPA) will oversee the contingency fund. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer of ELPA
to manage the fund on an annual basis.
4.0 Establishment:
4.1 The fund will be established by the Treasurer recommending an amount of funds to be taken
from the ELPA savings account and placed into a special account that can maximize return
while protecting principle and providing accessibility.
4.2 The Board of Directors will approve the recommended amount and investment vehicle.
4.3 The Treasurer will open the specified account.
4.4 The BOD will establish a target goal amount for the fund.
5.0 Maintenance:
5.1 On an annual basis, the Treasurer will suggest an amount of funds to be transferred from the
savings account to the contingency fund.
5.2 The BOD will approve the suggested amount or modify it as appropriate.
5.3 Each year, the fund will be reviewed to determine if any changes need to be made, such as a
change in investment strategy.
5.4 Although not encouraged, members and friends will be allowed to make directed donations to
ELPA for addition to the contingency fund. The Treasurer will honor the donors’ wishes unless
such action jeopardizes the regular funds used for routine association expenses. In such a case,
the treasurer or other officer will request that the donor’s donation be applied to the
savings account for routine expenses.
5.5 The Treasurer will add all directed donations to the contingency fund according to the terms
of the investment vehicle in which it is invested, which may impact the timing of adding
monies to the fund.
5.6 The Treasurer will report on the status of the contingency fund at the annual meeting of the ELPA
membership and at regular Board meetings.
6.0 Use:
6.1 In the event of an invasion of an aquatic nuisance or other threat to the water quality of Echo
Lake, the BOD will determine a course of action and how the action will be funded.
6.2 If the expenses associated with the determined course of action require funds beyond the
regular savings/checking accounts, the BOD will decide to utilize the monies within the
contingency fund as necessary.
6.3 While the intended purpose of the contingency fund is for the remediation of an invasive species,
the BOD will have the authority to elect to use monies from the fund for an action determined
by the BOD to be necessary to protect the water quality of Echo Lake.
6.4 The Treasurer will access the required funds and transfer to the checking account to pay for
the incurred expenses.
6.5 Upon approval of the BOD, monies within the contingency fund may be used for preventative
expenses, such as the Greeter Access Program, if insufficient funds exist in the savings and
checking accounts for these approved purposes. Interest earned from contingency fund accounts should remain in the fund absent a board vote.
7.0 Disposal:
7.1 Upon the decision of the BOD and/or the ELPA members, the contingency fund may be
discontinued.
7.2 Any monies remaining in the fund will be transferred to the savings account.
7.3 Further action on the disbursement of ELPA funds will be in accordance with the association’s Bylaws.
By-Laws
BY-LAWS ECHO LAKE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
As of July 23, 2016
ARTICLE I – NAME PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be The Echo Lake Protective Association.
Section 2. The objective of the Association will be to promote the welfare of Echo Lake which lies within the boundaries of the Town of Charleston, VT. The Association will work to maintain the quality of Echo Lake, the waters, native wildlife, and habitat for all to enjoy for generations to come.
ARTICLE II • MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership shall be open to any adult (defined as 18 years or older) with an interest in Echo Lake as defined in Article I, Section 2.
Section 2. All individual members whose dues are paid for the year shall have one adult vote at the Annual Meeting. All families whose dues are paid for one year shall have two adult votes per family.
Section 3. The Board of Directors will determine dues for membership.
ARTICLE III – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Board Role, Size, Compensation
The Board is responsible for overall policy and direction of the Association. The board shall have 5 to 9 members. Board Members receive no compensation. All Board Members shall be paid-up members of the Association. Vacancies on the Board may be temporarily filled by a majority vote of Board Members pending election at the Annual Meeting.
Section 2. Meetings
The Board shall meet at least 3 times a year, including the Annual Meeting; at an agreed upon time and place.
Section 3. Board Elections
Election of new Board Members or election of current Board Members to another term shall be determined by a majority vote of all members attending the Annual Meeting.
Section 4. Terms
Board Members shall be elected for a term of three years. To ensure Board continuity, three members shall be elected each year. A Board Member having served two complete consecutive three-year terms may not serve again until one year has elapsed. If a Board Member is not able to complete the term of service, a replacement member may be appointed by the Board according to Section 1 above, or elected at the annual meeting, to fill the open partial term. If the partial term is 2 or more years, then it will be considered a full term. If the partial term is less than 2 years, the member may then be elected to serve an additional two full terms, making the maximum consecutive service less than 8 years. Service time will be tracked as:
Term 1: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3
Term 2: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3
Partial Term: Year 3* (partial year); or
Year 2* (partial year), Year 3 (full year),
Year 1** (partial year), Year 2 (full year), Year 3 (full year)
* May serve 2 additional 3-year term
** May serve 1 additional 3-year term
Section 5. Quorum
A majority of Board Members will constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers
The Officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.
Section 2. Election of Officers
Election of officers takes place at the Annual Meeting and is for a three-year term. Officer vacancies on the Board may be temporarily filled by a majority vote at a Board of Director’s meeting until a successor is elected at the next Annual Meeting.
Section 3. Duties of the President and Vice-President
The President of the Association shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors, call special meetings, as may be required, and have general administration over the affairs of the Association. The Vice-President shall assist the President in all matters wherever called upon and preside over meetings in the President’s absence.
Section 4. Duties of the Secretary
The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping records of the Board actions, including overseeing the taking of minutes at all Board Meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to all Board Members, and assuring that all records are maintained. The Secretary is responsible for all meeting minutes and for organizing the distribution of 2 annual newsletters – one in the winter and one in early summer.
Section 5. Duties of the Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds of the Association, shall receive dues and make disbursements as needed, and provide a financial report to the membership at the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer will prepare an end of fiscal year report which will be presented at the first Board meeting of the new year.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS AND AUTHORITY OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors shall hold at least three meetings a year, including the Annual Meeting. The President or any three other Board members may call additional meetings. Notice of all Board Meetings shall be given to each Board Member in advance of the meeting.
Section 1. Authority of the Board
The Board is empowered to manage the affairs of the Association. It is authorized to vote the expenditure of Association funds consistent with these bylaws and subject to the direction determined by the membership.
Section 2. The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers. The responsibility of this committee shall be to make decisions that may occur throughout the year in accordance with the purposes of the Association.
Section 3. The Nominating Committee
The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of three members of the Association, at least one being a Board Member who will act as chairperson. The purpose of this committee is to select Board Members and Officers for consideration at the next Annual Meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. Officers and Board Members shall be elected by the votes of a majority of voting members.
Section 4. Other Committees
The President shall appoint committees to meet the requirements of the Association.
ARTICLE VI – ANNUAL MEETING
Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the Annual Meeting shall be held on the fourth Saturday in July. Advance notice of the Annual Meeting shall be distributed to all members. Nominations for Board of Director membership and Officers of the Association for the coming year should be included in this advance notice.
ARTICLE VII – RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
The current records of this Association shall be available for inspection by any Member.
ARTICLE VIII – MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. All checks or demands for money or notes of the Association shall be signed by the Treasurer or the President.
Section 2. The fiscal year of the Association shall be the period from January 1 until December 31 of each calendar year.
Section 3. “Robert’s Rule of Order Revised” shall govern this Association when they are not inconsistent with these By-Laws.
ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENT
These By-laws may be revised or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the members attending the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE X – DISSOLUTION OF THE ECHO LAKE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
Should The Echo Lake Protective Association ever by dissolved, the remaining assets will be transferred to the Northwoods Stewardship Center to be used for educational and testing purposes related to Echo Lake.
___________________________________________________
These By-Laws were approved as amended at the annual meeting of the Echo Lake Protective Association, July 23, 2016.
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