New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Lake George

Lake George Wooden Nickels & The William Johnson Bicentennial

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Lake George Wooden MoneyIt was 1938 and the United States was in the midst of the “depression within a depression” a particularly difficult time during the Great Depression. As with most American communities, money was tight at Lake George, NY.

Therefore, to fund a mammoth local history pageant, the event’s organizers came up with a novel idea. They printed wooden nickels called “Lake George Wooden Money” and the best thing about the fake coinage was that it worked. [Read more…] about Lake George Wooden Nickels & The William Johnson Bicentennial

Captain Bernard Romans and the Capture of Fort George

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Remains of 1759 Fort George at the head of Lake GeorgeJust who was Captain Bernard Romans, the man who captured of Fort George in 1775? Where was he from, and how did he end up at Lake George?

Bernard Romans, (ca.1720-1783) was a surveyor, cartographer, naturalist, engineer, and soldier. His surveys and mapping of the Alabama coastline along with Eastern and Western Florida provided the first look at the land and the flora and fauna that the British had acquired at the end of the French and Indian War in 1763. [Read more…] about Captain Bernard Romans and the Capture of Fort George

The Smith Rowboat: A Unique Contribution to Watercraft History

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Rowboats tethered and towed by tiny steam launches were a feature of summer life on Lake GeorgeThere is no such thing as dead wood. Any wood boat, even one as modest as my sixteen-foot rowboat, will teach you that. Wood is moody; it swells and contracts; it looks and feels different on different days.

But wood also gives you the impression that it is collaborating with you; you have an undeniable sensation that your boat is actively supporting you as you row, keeping you afloat (aloft, even), pulling you onward. [Read more…] about The Smith Rowboat: A Unique Contribution to Watercraft History

When PT Barnum’s Stagecoach Plunged into an Old Fort’s Moat

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P.T. Barnum (Library of Congress)The railroad did not come to the village of Lake George, formerly known as Caldwell, until 1882. So for decades travel to the lakeside village was mainly by stagecoach along the plank road from Glens Falls built in 1848 (now Route 9). [Read more…] about When PT Barnum’s Stagecoach Plunged into an Old Fort’s Moat

1954: Finding Fort William Henry’s Blacksmith Shop

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An artist’s depiction of a British blacksmith, similar to that at Fort William Henry from 1755–1757 (courtesy Fort William Henry Museum)Blacksmiths were integral personnel at frontier fortifications in North America during the 18th century. These iron smithies not only forged military items like swords, knives, musket barrels, and other lethal objects, they likewise crafted kettles, plates, ax heads, hammers, shovels, nails, and other metal tools.

So, it was not surprising in 1954, that during excavations in the Village of Lake George at Fort William Henry Museum, that a blacksmith “shop” was unearthed by archaeologist Stanley M. Gifford’s diggers. [Read more…] about 1954: Finding Fort William Henry’s Blacksmith Shop

When Smuggling Swiss Watches Was A Thing

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This 1930 advertisement showcased one of the many high-quality Swiss timepieces (courtesy Rolex Watch Co.)It was 1930, during the era of Prohibition (1920–1933). So, it was not unusual when law enforcement personnel caught bootleggers on the Glens Falls-Lake George Road attempting to transport illegal alcohol from Canada to a local speakeasy.

What was uncommon, however, was arresting a smuggler who tried to sneak a large cache of untaxed contraband, Swiss watches, into the United States. [Read more…] about When Smuggling Swiss Watches Was A Thing

From Lake Champlain to the Search for Africa’s Mysterious Mokele-mbembe

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Left-to-right, Joseph W. Zarzynski, Pat Meaney, and Dr. Roy P. Mackal testing sonar in Lake Champlain in 1981 (photo courtesy J. Richard Greenwell)My introduction into exploring the depths of waterways began at Lake George on June 14, 1981. On that date, I completed a check out dive off Diamond Island to acquire my scuba certification.

Diamond Island, four miles north of Million Dollar Beach, has for over six decades been the site where thousands of scuba students have taken their practical “exam” to become certified scuba divers. [Read more…] about From Lake Champlain to the Search for Africa’s Mysterious Mokele-mbembe

After Poor Performance DEC Maps New Fisheries Plan for Lake George

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Lake George Narrows (courtesy Lake George Land Conservancy)The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the release of a five-year (2025–2029) Fisheries Management Plan for Lake George in Washington, Essex and Warren County in hopes of reversing poor performance of the former management plan.

DEC found overall poorer health in the lake trout population despite fishing regulations and also determined that existing Atlantic salmon stocking is failing to create a viable, sustainable fishery. [Read more…] about After Poor Performance DEC Maps New Fisheries Plan for Lake George

Swimming the Length of Lake George: Many Have Tried Since 1927

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Diane Struble entering the waters of Lake George in Ticonderoga for her lake-long swim“Marathon swimming is dominated by females,” says Scott Cotten, a fourth-generation member of a YMCA and Silver Bay family who tried unsuccessfully to swim the length of Lake George in 2024.

Bridget Simpson, Charlotte Brynn, Caroline Block and Karyn Scherer are among those who have swum the length of the lake in recent years. Dr. Colby Jones Brown joined their ranks over Labor Day weekend in 2025. [Read more…] about Swimming the Length of Lake George: Many Have Tried Since 1927

A Dozen Warren County French & Indian War Fortifications

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A blockhouse and palisaded enclosure similar to what the station at Half Way Brook in Queensbury might have looked likeAt least a dozen spots were fortified by British, Colonial and Native forces in what is now Warren County, NY for conflicts leading up to and including the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Those that survived those wars were reused by troops from both sides during the American Revolutionary War.

Of these dozen places, only one remains easily visible on the landscape – Fort George, at the southern end of Lake George. [Read more…] about A Dozen Warren County French & Indian War Fortifications

Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail Usage Report Issued

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Hudson River Valley Greenway 2024 Trail Use ReportA third Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail usage report has been issued for the route that knits together 15 regional trails to create a continuous multi-use trail. Since 2021, 5.65 million visits have been counted at 37 sites along the trail.

The Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail consists of two main components: an overland long trail and a water trail for paddling and boating along both sides of the Hudson River from the Battery in Manhattan to the junction of Lake George and Lake Champlain valleys at Ticonderoga. [Read more…] about Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail Usage Report Issued

Naturalist & Bathysphere Explorer William Beebe

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William Beebe (left) and Otis Barton (right) pose next to their bathysphere in 1934 (photo courtesy NOAA)In the 1930s William Beebe (1877–1962), director of the Bermuda Oceanographic Institution sponsored by the New York Zoological Society (now the Wildlife Conservation Society), was described as “the most popular scientist in the world.”

Beebe began his career studying exotic birds, insects, and marine biology. The Brooklyn-born naturalist then gravitated to exploring the Atlantic Ocean’s abyss. [Read more…] about Naturalist & Bathysphere Explorer William Beebe

That ‘Other’ Massacre: Blood and Chocolate at Half-Way Brook

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Still from the 1992 movie Last of the Mohicans showing the surrender of Fort William HenryThe dramatic massacre at Fort William Henry on August 10, 1757 has been told in 18th century newspaper accounts, witness diaries, by historians, movie makers, and of course the famed novelist James Fenimore Cooper.

Another attack at Half-Way Brook a year later has been overshadowed by the carnage at Lake George. The events of July 28, 1758 were every bit as horrendous, bloody and gut-wrenching. That story has been largely overlooked. [Read more…] about That ‘Other’ Massacre: Blood and Chocolate at Half-Way Brook

Lake George Land Conservancy Building Bridges for Wild Plants and Animals

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Lake George postcard shoing Fish Point, Basin Bay amd Pilot Knob, looking east from just north of Diamond PointThe Lake George Land Conservancy’s newly acquired Pilot Knob Mountain – 517 acres of densely forested mountainside, a 2,159-foot summit and ridgeline and 1.6 miles of streams that feed the Lake’s Kattskill Bay – has been identified by The Nature Conservancy as one of a handful of places in the Appalachian inlands best situated to help nature thrive in the face of climate change. [Read more…] about Lake George Land Conservancy Building Bridges for Wild Plants and Animals

1956: A Historic Billboard Erected at Colonel Ephraim Williams’ Grave

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FC Yohn’s painting of the death of Colonel Ephraim Williams at 'Bloody Morning Scout' on September 8, 1755In 1854, a white marble obelisk was erected at the grave of Colonel Ephraim Williams. The site is located three miles south of Lake George. The British provincial officer was killed on September 8, 1755 by French-led forces at the Battle of Lake George.

One hundred and two years after the stone pillar was installed at the Williams’ grave, Fort William Henry Corporation workers built a 20-foot high x 40-foot long wooden billboard near the site. The sign was positioned adjacent to Route 9. [Read more…] about 1956: A Historic Billboard Erected at Colonel Ephraim Williams’ Grave

From Crown Point to Boston: The 1920s Henry Knox Trail

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A unique Henry Knox Trail Marker Wayland, MA placed in 1967In 1926, New York State Historian Alexander C. Flick recommended to the State’s Advisory Board on Battlefields and Historic Sites, created earlier in the 1920s to oversee the marking and potential acquisition of historic sites, particularly those related to the American Revolution, that the historic route of Henry Knox‘s “Noble Train of Artillery” be marked for the public.

A series of stone monuments with bronze plaques were planned by a committee from New York and Massachusetts to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Knox’s expedition. The project – dubbed the Henry Knox Trail – was one of the earliest heritage trails in the United States. [Read more…] about From Crown Point to Boston: The 1920s Henry Knox Trail

Forest Rangers Recover Hunter’s Body, Make Hiker Rescues

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Clay Meadow rescue in Lake George Wild Forest in November 2025 (DEC)WINTER CONDITIONS: Plan ahead, check the weather to know what winter conditions to expect. Snowshoes, crampons, or microspikes may be needed in addition to insulated boots. DEC’s website has tips for safe winter hiking.

The following reports of recent searches and rescues carried out by Forest Rangers and other first responders around New York State were prepared by DEC: [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Recover Hunter’s Body, Make Hiker Rescues

1957: Old Fort William Henry Timber Catches Fire from Magnifying Glass

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a cannon along the Northwest bastion of replica Fort William Henry in Lake George Village (Joseph W. Zarzynski)Any enthusiast of Sherlock Holmes knows the fictional British detective frequently employed a magnifying glass to examine evidence when battling crime. Today, the optical device is a standard item found in most American households.

Moreover, in 1957, an unidentified member of the archaeology team digging at the 200-year-old Fort William Henry accidentally started a fire with a misplaced magnifying glass. [Read more…] about 1957: Old Fort William Henry Timber Catches Fire from Magnifying Glass

Return of the Bald Eagle: A Conservation Success Story

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Photo of a bald eagle above Lake George by Bill Alexy, courtesy UnsplashIf you see a bald eagle soaring above Lake George, it is safe to assume that it is descended from one of the scores released in New York State in the 1970s and 80s.

There was nothing inevitable about the return of the bald eagle to the Adirondacks. [Read more…] about Return of the Bald Eagle: A Conservation Success Story

Sweet Mama Stringbean: Lake George’s Shirley McFerson

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Shirley McFerson of Lake George Glens Falls Warren County NYThe Shoulder Rider, Beatriz Roman’s tale of the life and times of Shirley McFerson , aka “Sweet Mama Stringbean,” for young people is now available through the Warren County Historical Society.

Shirley McFerson, the Lake George librarian, storyteller and trustee of the Lake George Historical Museum, died at the age of 71 in 2005. She was the daughter of Samuel and Dorothy McFerson, the owners of the Woodbine Hotel in Lake George Village. [Read more…] about Sweet Mama Stringbean: Lake George’s Shirley McFerson

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