The fire tower on Black Mountain, in the Lake George Wild Forest on the lake’s eastern side in Washington County, NY, was constructed in 1916 and has been maintained by New York State Police since 1996 when a 39-foot extension was added. The 80-foot-tall structure supports several antennas, a microwave dish and an aerial beacon, the only one of its kind in New York state. [Read more…] about The Black Mountain Fire Tower on Lake George Is One of Kind
Lake George
The French and Indian War: A New York Perspective
In the early 1750s, the French were establishing trading posts and building forts along western the frontiers of the British colonies. In the fall of 1753, in part to protect his own land claims, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie had sent 22-year-old George Washington (then a militia leader and surveyor) to deliver a letter to Fort Le Boeuf at what is today Waterford in northwest Pennsylvania, demanding they stop.
When Washington returned without success, Dinwiddie sent a small force to build Fort Prince George at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers (today Pittsburgh). Soon a larger French force arrived, torn down the small British fort, and began and built Fort Duquesne, named for then Governor-General of New France, Marquis Duquesne. [Read more…] about The French and Indian War: A New York Perspective
Emerald Ash Borer Spreading Throughout Lake George Watershed
Within the past six years, three new nonnative terrestrial pests have emerged to threaten the forests of the Lake George watershed. Among them: emerald ash borer, which was first detected in Warren County in 2020, at the bridge that crosses the Schroon River near Chestertown. That discovery was the first indication that this species might have established itself in the Adirondack Park. [Read more…] about Emerald Ash Borer Spreading Throughout Lake George Watershed
A Late Night Boat Rescue on Lake George
On Wednesday, August 2, New York State Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Krug and Lieutenant Higgins responded to a report of a boat that had run aground with passengers on board near Mohican Island on Lake George. [Read more…] about A Late Night Boat Rescue on Lake George
Albany’s Peter Gansevoort, “The Hero of Stanwix”
Peter Gansevoort Jr. was born into the Dutch aristocracy of Albany to Harman Gansevoort (1712–1801) and Magdalena Douw (1718–1796). His younger brother Leonard Gansevoort, was politically active, serving in the state assembly and senate, as well as the Continental Congress. [Read more…] about Albany’s Peter Gansevoort, “The Hero of Stanwix”
Silver Bay’s Historic Fisher Gymnasium Rehabilitation Project Moving Forward
Silver Bay YMCA is one of this year’s Preserve New York (PNY) grantees. Their grant of $11,200 will fund a facility condition assessment of the historic Fisher Gymnasium. [Read more…] about Silver Bay’s Historic Fisher Gymnasium Rehabilitation Project Moving Forward
1955: A New Yorker Covers The Emmett Till Murder Trial
In 1955, my father traveled from New York City to Mississippi, where he was born and where his own father had been a newspaper publisher, to cover the trial of the two white men who had been indicted for the lynching of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black boy visiting from Chicago. [Read more…] about 1955: A New Yorker Covers The Emmett Till Murder Trial
Invasive Beech Tree Killer Found Near Lake George
Beech Leaf Disease, detected at the western edge of the Adirondack Park in 2022, has spread to the Lake George watershed. Forest Health technicians from the Department of Environmental Conservation discovered a Beech Leaf Disease infestation along a trail on Bolton’s Edgecomb Pond property in late July, Bolton Supervisor Ron Conover said. The technicians were surveying the Cat and Thomas Mountains section of the Adirondack Forest Preserve, a DEC official told Conover. [Read more…] about Invasive Beech Tree Killer Found Near Lake George
Side Paths: New York State’s 1890s Bike Trail Network
As the 1890s took New York State toward a new century, the use of the bicycle for recreation by both the young and old was sweeping the country. One reason for this growth was the development of a safer, easier-to-ride machine with a smaller front wheel than the earlier high-wheeled bicycles.
Other advances in the development of the bicycle at this time were pneumatic tires and a chain drive that further eliminated the need for the large front tire. [Read more…] about Side Paths: New York State’s 1890s Bike Trail Network
Adirondack Architectural Heritage Announces 2023 Preservation Award Winners
The Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) Preservation Awards program annually recognizes exemplary historic preservation work throughout the Adirondack region, including sensitive restoration, rehabilitation, adaptive use, long-term stewardship, and individual achievement by individuals and organizations.
The recipients of the 2023 AARCH Preservation Awards, which will be honored at their Preservation Awards ceremony on Friday, September 22, are: [Read more…] about Adirondack Architectural Heritage Announces 2023 Preservation Award Winners