Dorothy and Jay Federman stand in front of one of the restored oval windows at the entrance to the Trudeau Building, December 2023. (Photo provided — Historic Saranac Lake)

For over 130 years, 118 Main St. has been a cornerstone in the history of Saranac Lake, where many doctors and nurses have built their careers. Two such doctors are Dorothy and Jay Federman, whose careers were not only intertwined with the building but also with the growth and expansion of Historic Saranac Lake.

Dorothy and Jay met at the Variety Club Camp for Handicapped Children outside of Philadelphia in 1962, when Dorothy was 15 and Jay 18. After medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, they completed their internships and residencies in Calgary, Alberta, where their love of winter and the outdoors solidified. Then they set off to practice in England. In 1975, the couple began looking for a small town closer to family to practice medicine together. With Jay’s familial roots in the area, dating back to his grandfather’s arrival with TB in 1908, Saranac Lake emerged as a promising candidate for their new home.

Arriving in February, the couple had a chance encounter with Dr. Frank Trudeau while visiting the local hospital. The grandson of Dr. E. L. Trudeau, Frank was the third generation of Trudeaus to practice medicine at 118 Main St. Months before, well-respected physician Ell Keet had passed away suddenly, leaving a difficult hole to fill in Frank’s practice.

As a young couple preparing to raise a family, Dorothy and Jay wanted to share one practice, and Dr. Frank Trudeau was enthusiastic about their idea. Dorothy, Jay, Josh Schwartzberg, and Richard Handler all joined Medical Associates in May of 1975, practicing with Jerry Green, Jim Stover, and Frank Trudeau.

Dorothy and Jay settled into 118 Main Street, and there they served out long careers, caring for a steady stream of patients. In an oral history with HSL in 2018, Dorothy stated, “It was wonderful to be able to practice for 40-some years and see generation after generation and make house calls.” Jay said, “I feel very fortunate … to have been able to work in this practice that allowed us to fulfill our personal goals of sharing a practice, raising a family, and being in a great place to live.”

The Trudeau building evolved over time to accommodate different uses. Garry Trudeau’s grandmother, Helen Garretson Trudeau, lived on the second floor for some 20 years. After her death in 1982, renovations were undertaken which included changing out the historic wood windows for replacement windows and replacing the old red cedar siding with blue vinyl siding. During those projects, the two oval leaded windows in the front entryway were removed. Recognizing their historic value, Jay saved the windows from the contractor’s dumpster and brought them home for safe storage. In 2020, as HSL embarked on construction at the building, Dorothy and Jay graciously returned the windows to their original location.

Partnering with HSL on the restoration of the oval windows is just one of the ways the couple has supported the museum. In 1964, the stone and brick Saranac Laboratory behind 118 Main St. closed and was sold to Paul Smith’s College to be used as a dormitory. Years later, the lab fell into disuse and disrepair. The Federmans recognized the historic and architectural importance of the building, and they purchased it from the college in 1995. Three years later, they donated the Saranac Laboratory to Historic Saranac Lake to open as a museum.

The Federmans closed Medical Associates in 2017 and practiced medicine at Adirondack Health until their retirement in 2018. Once again wishing to preserve the history, they sold the Trudeau Building to Historic Saranac Lake. Today, as the building undergoes construction, plans are underway for museum exhibits. Dorothy and Jay have given a generous donation to support a space interpreting the patient experience in Saranac Lake. The exhibit will be located in their former office on the second floor. Their contribution helps ensure the preservation of the unique history of a community that provided care for people from around the world.