A day in the life of an Adirondack Ghost Town
ADIRONDAC/TAHAWUS — Today, County Road 25 in the town of Newcomb is traveled mostly by hikers and backpackers on their way to and from the southern trailhead to the High Peaks Wilderness. But a century and a half ago, workers, supplies, machinery and much more traveled the road to the village of Adirondac and the mining operation at the McIntyre Furnace. In 1826 iron ore was discovered near the Hudson River at what is now the southern trailhead to the High Peaks, also called the Upper Works. Venture capitalists Archibald McIntyre and David Henderson, whose nearby namesakes are Henderson Lake and the McIntyre Range, herald their historical importance to the region, formed the Adirondack Iron & Steel Company and began mining in 1827. “In this area in 1826, this is the howling wilderness,” said Chuck Vandrei, historic preservation officer of the state Department of Environmental Conservation. “There is no way to get (the ore) in and out.” Vandrei, along with David Staley, an ar
» Full StorySustaining Saranac Lake
SARANAC LAKE — She started by reading a book; from there she started a group, then she planted a garden; now Gail Brill and the Adirondack Green Circle have started a movement in Saranac Lake, calling on its citizens and public officials to change t
» Full StoryBrighton turns 150
PAUL SMITHS — Despite its relatively small population, the North Country town of Brighton has a rich and storied past due to an interesting array of settlers who ranged from the mysterious Moses Follensby to the reputable Apollos Smith.
Sitting in limbo ...
SARANAC LAKE — Mike Delahant speaks eloquently of Robert Louis Stevenson, often times stopping to apologize for digressions into the eccentricities and habits of the legendary author.
He revives the historic Stevenson Society meeting o
The streets are alive
SARANAC LAKE — “Ooze” isn’t necessarily a pleasant word, even if it is fun to say. More often than not, it makes one think of infected wounds or toxic waste, and one certainly would be justified in assuming the word has little place in the opening p
» Full StoryPond paddling
LAKE CLEAR — For the beginning or experienced paddler, the St. Regis Canoe Area and surrounding water bodies offer plenty of trip options.
The St. Regis Canoe Area is the only designated canoe area in this state, covers 18,400 acres an