Wednesday, October 5th marks Dr. E. L. Trudeau’s 168th birthday. A pioneer in the fields of medicine and science, Trudeau shaped the character of Saranac Lake as a world-famous health resort for people suffering from tuberculosis. Historic Saranac Lake (HSL) will celebrate the occasion of his birth by offering two special tours.

A tour the grounds of the former Trudeau Sanatorium will meet at 10:30 am at the Park Avenue gates of the American Management Association. A guided tour of the Saranac Laboratory Museum will also be offered that afternoon, provided by Executive Director Amy Catania. The museum tour starts at 2 pm. Both tours are $5/person. Members of HSL and children are free of charge.

Visitors to the museum can purchase the recently published biography of E. L. Trudeau, A Rare Romance in Medicine by Mary B. Hotaling. This new book expands upon Trudeau’s autobiography, published posthumously in 1915. The doctor’s great great grandson, Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau, wrote the foreword.

Village residents and visitors interested in the history of Saranac Lake are also invited to stop by the Saranac Lake Free Library to view a small temporary exhibit on Dr. Trudeau at the library entrance. The exhibit will be on display through the end of October.

Founded in 1980 as an architectural preservation organization, Historic Saranac Lake’s mission is to capture and present local history from their center at the Saranac Laboratory Museum, 89 Church Street. The museum is open year-round, Tuesday through Friday from 10-4. Admission is $5/person. Members of HSL and children are free of charge.

Photo of Saranac Laboratory Museum provided.