On July 26, 1926, newsman Albert Evans arrived at his office in the old Harrietstown Town Hall, on the daily beat for the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. He had no way of knowing his place of work would soon be reduced to ashes.

Late that night, the bell in the old clock tower — which long had served as the fire alarm for the village — tragically sounded its own demise. Albert Evans stood on the sidewalk, watching as fire climbed the wood frame building. There was a sudden crack. Down came the clock hand, and he reached out and caught it.

For a moment, time literally stood still in his hands. It must have felt like a sign from the universe. Mr. Evans would go on to dedicate his life to documenting the world around him. Ultimately, he produced hundreds of beautifully written articles about daily life in Saranac Lake.

Like so many others from all walks of life, Albert Evans had come to Saranac Lake with tuberculosis. As his health improved, he made his life here, and he became an active member of the community for some 59 years. One of Mr. Evans’ passions was reporting about fires. When a fire takes a building, history is lost, and it’s up the people left behind to pick up the pieces the best they can. This was especially true when the Town Hall burned, as all the old newspaper editions went up in smoke.

Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of President Quezon’s death in Saranac Lake, August 1, 2019. (Provided photo)

Usually, the past fades away more gradually. The summons to pay attention often comes in a quieter form, in the shape of a story. One story we tell at the museum is that of the composer, Béla Bartók, who escaped Nazi-occupied Hungary and came to Saranac Lake for his health. Here he composed some of his greatest works. Recently our friend Catherine Beeson shared Bartók’s story with another great musician of our time, Yo-Yo Ma. She sent us a photo that captures the moment at the heart of the work to save history. One person takes the time to tell a story, and another takes the time to listen.

Bartók’s summer in Saranac Lake is one of many resonant stories from the year 1944, as the ripple effects of World War II reached our corner of the world. That year, countless Norwegian sailors came to the village for TB treatment. Time almost stopped for Albert Einstein, when his sailboat capsized on Lower Saranac Lake. And on Aug. 1, on the shores of that same lake, Filipino President Manuel Quezon lost his battle against tuberculosis.

Ron Keough tells a first-hand account of that event 80 years ago. He remembers looking out the window when he was 8 years old to see a group of Filipino people standing quiet vigil in front of his family’s funeral home. It was early August 1944, and they had come to pay their respects in the place where the body of the president lay at rest.

Like clockwork, every August a group of Filipino visitors would appear outside the funeral home to mark the anniversary of President Quezon’s death. Over the years, the groups became smaller, until one year, no one was there to remember the president.

Then, five years ago a group of Filipino American residents in the North Country organized an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of President Quezon’s death in Saranac Lake. The day they appeared on the steps of the museum with a large Filipino flag was like the clock arm falling into our lap. Here was history that was demanding our attention.

The old Harrietstown Town Hall on fire in 1926. (Adirondack Daily Enterprise photo)

This spring, we visited the camp where Quezon died. We met with the president’s grandson and learned about his family. We have gradually come to understand a bit about the complex history and vibrant cultural diversity of the Philippines and the 4.4 million Filipinos who live in the United States. We now count as friends some of the Filipino Americans who proudly call the Adirondacks home. Slowly, a door swings open. We peek through and marvel at the wide world that lies beyond the here and now.

On Aug. 3, 2024, people from near and far will come together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of President Quezon’s death. The opening ceremony will be held at the second Harrietstown Town Hall, the building that took the place of the one that burned in front of Albert Evans in 1926.

The clock hand that fell into Mr. Evan’s arms will soon be displayed at the museum, passed down from Mr. Evan’s granddaughter. The old clock hand will point to the past and remind us of how much we gain when we answer the call to pay attention.

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Amy Catania is the executive director of Historic Saranac Lake.

The clock hand from the old Town Hall. The label, written by Albert Evans, reads, “Hand of the Old Town Clock.” (Provided photo — Donna Evans)