A new history covering the Fulton Chain of Lakes region from Moose River Settlement to its boundary west of Raquette Lake is now available from North Country Books and selected regional bookstores.
Regular contributor to the Weekly Adirondack of Old Forge Charles E. Herr’s new book, The Fulton Chain: Early Settlement, Roads, Steamboats, Railroads and Hotels, documents the story of the stalwart folk whose lives shaped the Fulton Chain.
The book represents the first general history of the Fulton Chain region in almost seventy years. Herr says he hopes his work engenders new interest in the notable earlier works cited in his introduction to The Fulton Chain.
The author added, corrected, and edited articles that were first published in the Weekly Adirondack in Old Forge, and at the Adirondack Almanack, including photographs and maps. He has organized them by topic and, where possible, in a time chronology.
Readers will learn about Benjamin Harrison’s visits, the origin and construction of the Fulton Chain Railroad and the Raquette Lake Railway lines, the steamboats – including mail boats and pickle boats – as well as first major hotels of Inlet and Old Forge. The book includes early town politics, the building of roads, a murder at “lock-and-dam,” and the subsequent trial. Included is a partnership of a wooden track railroad with a steamer that often tried and sometimes could.
This book is for the casual reader interested in Fulton Chain history. It is also a reference for the serious researcher. Herr covers the battles between developers and landowners, railroad builders and their opponents and, for the first time, the early history of the land that would become the Town of Inlet. Extensive histories are provided for the railroads and the first major hotels of the community, and new information about the deCamps, Alexander Lamberton, the Old Forge Company, Fred Hess, Philo Wood, Arch Delmarsh and Charles O’Hara.
Herr has arranged several book events:
Tuesday, June 20 at 7 pm at the Old Forge Library, Old Forge
Thursday, June 22 at 7 pm at Inlet Town Hall, Inlet
Saturday, July 8 at 12 pm at The Old Forge Hardware, Old Forge
Wednesday, August 23 at 7 pm at Thendara Town Hall, Thendara
The 9 ¼ x 11 ¾ hard copy of the 300-plus page The Fulton Chain: Early Settlement, Roads, Steamboats, Railroads and Hotels is priced at $39.99 plus tax. Information about the book can be obtained from North Country Books and the author’s Facebook page.
Charlie,
I’m looking forward to purchasing your new book shortly after arriving in camp in about a month. I especially want to hear more about the Moose River settlement, as that was Nessmuk’s jumping off place into the wild.
thanks, I have a bit on that in the Fred Hess chapter and elsewhere. You can check the Index out on the book facebook page- http://www.facebook.com/herrstory .
Thank you because I do like history.
Will the museum be selling hardbound copies?
It is only available in hardback. I have asked them to sell it. It is also available at Adirondack reader Inlet, Old Forge Hardware, and from me directly. See the. Book Facebook page for more info.
I have just dropped off a box of the books at the Adirondack Experience museum store. update of prior question by Charlie S of availability of book at the former Adirondack Museum store.
How can I order a new copy of your book. I gave one copy to my uncle whose family has 2 camps on Limekiln.