The new book From Northville to Placid: Place Name History of New York’s Oldest Long Trail (Beechwood Books, 2021) by Erik Schlimmer, with foreword by James Appleton, features historical accounts of seventy of the named features along this 138-mile path through the Adirondacks. [Read more…] about New Adirondack History Book About The Northville-Placid Trail
Lake Placid
New York’s Olympic Bobsled Track: Some History
The 1932 and 1980 Olympic bobsled track, located on Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y., is on The National Register of Historic Places.
Clearing for the original one and a half, 26-curve course began in August 1930 and the track, specifically built for the 1932 winter games, was open to the public just 148 days later on Christmas Day 1930. [Read more…] about New York’s Olympic Bobsled Track: Some History
IRONMAN Returning to Lake Placid Sunday
Lake Placid, NY, two-time host of the Olympic Games in 1932 and 1980, is preparing for the return of the longest running IRONMAN event in North America on Sunday, July 25th.
The 21st annual event is expected to include approximately 2,000 registered participants and some 10,000 spectators. [Read more…] about IRONMAN Returning to Lake Placid Sunday
NY’s Voter Suppression History & John Brown’s Farm
This year we are celebrating New York State’s acquisition of John Brown Farm 125 years ago. And it’s good that we are.
But let us also recall a 200th anniversary linked to the John Brown Farm – a connection that has particular importance this year as we witness a voter suppression spree around our country. Two hundred years ago, that was us – our New York ancestors – enacting explicit rules to keep blacks from voting.
John Brown and his family moved to the Adirondacks as part of an effort to counteract New York State-sponsored suppression of voting rights for black men.
We are now seeing a wave of voter suppression efforts in states controlled by Republican legislators fearful of losing their majority power. Well, guess what? That’s exactly what was going on here in good old New York back in the early 1800s. We New Yorkers apparently were leaders in voter suppression. We even put it into the state constitution! That’s more than the states are doing today. [Read more…] about NY’s Voter Suppression History & John Brown’s Farm
Timbuctoo: An Adirondack African American Settlement
In this episode of the A New York Minute In History podcast, the history of Timbuctoo, an African American settlement founded by philanthropist Gerrit Smith in response to an 1846 law requiring all black men to own $250 worth of property in order to vote in New York State.
To counter this racist policy, Smith decided to give away 120,000 acres of land to 3,000 free, black New Yorkers, hoping to enable them to move out of cities and work the land to its required value. Lyman Epps and other black pioneers relocated to the wilderness near Lake Placid, New York — as did abolitionist John Brown, who based his family in North Elba to assist the black pioneers in their farming. [Read more…] about Timbuctoo: An Adirondack African American Settlement
Cobble Hill Trailhead Closed Indefinitely
There is no longer any trailhead parking for Cobble Hill trails, so Lake Placid–area hikers are encouraged to base Cobble hikes from your home or hotel, or to begin your walk from a designated parking space on Mirror Lake Drive or a municipal lot. [Read more…] about Cobble Hill Trailhead Closed Indefinitely
Ironman, Lacrosse Returning to Lake Placid
The IRONMAN triathlon race and the Summit Lacrosse tournament are set to return to Lake Placid and North Elba this summer. [Read more…] about Ironman, Lacrosse Returning to Lake Placid
Lake Placid Sinfonietta Releases Short Music Ed Videos
The Lake Placid Sinfonietta’s Education Committee with support from the Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation have released four short, informative music education videos, available to all area music educators. [Read more…] about Lake Placid Sinfonietta Releases Short Music Ed Videos
John Brown Farm Celebrates 125 Years of State Ownership
In 2021, the state of New York will celebrate 125 years of being caretaker to the John Brown Farm in North Elba, just outside of Lake Placid in the Adirondack Park.
Brown came to the area to help recently freed slaves become farmers. At that time in New York State, black men (and only black men) needed to own $250 dollars worth of land to be eligible to vote. Brown immersed himself in this new community of black farmers and participated in a wide variety of organizing. [Read more…] about John Brown Farm Celebrates 125 Years of State Ownership
Olympic Authority Expanding Training Center
The Town of North Elba will enter a long-term lease agreement with the New York Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) for their use of the former Lake Placid Memorial Hospital property.
The Town took over ownership of this property in 2019; this ownership will be retained and ORDA will lease the site for 50 years with a 50-year renewal for the purpose of expanding ORDA’s Olympic Training Center. ORDA will be responsible for the removal of the current structure, relieving the town of the financial burden of this undertaking, while upgrading the property. [Read more…] about Olympic Authority Expanding Training Center