In recognition of their successful visitor center and museum addition collaboration, The Town of Bolton, the Bolton Landing Chamber of Commerce, and the Bolton Historical Museum have been awarded the 2017 Lakes to Locks Passage Annual Partnership Award.

The award is presented to an organization or individual that has done exemplary work in the stewardship of natural, cultural, recreational, and historic resources while fostering cooperation — thereby furthering the vision, goals, and objectives of Lakes to Locks Passage.

In 2011, architect Ruben Caldwell, a Bolton Landing resident, prepared conceptual designs for a Bolton Historical Museum addition. At the same time, the Bolton Landing Chamber of Commerce began to envision new facilities to better serve visitors. These two facilities flank a strip of land that provides pedestrian access to Rogers Park, including its beach, and public docks.

The museum initiated a fundraising effort, generating nearly $200,000. In December 2014, the Town of Bolton approved a plan to raze the buildings housing the Chamber of Commerce and restrooms in Rogers Park and construct a new Visitors Center. A project advisory committee composed of representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, the museum, the library, and town residents was formed to work with architects from JMZ and landscape designers and engineers from the LA Group.

The committee chose to treat the town park, Visitor Center, and museum as a single, unified campus. The new Visitors Center was sited closer to Main Street to align it with the street’s commercial buildings and welcome visitors to the community. The design evokes the character of an Adirondack Great Camp. Porches and walkways face the park, linking the chamber offices, restrooms, and a gazebo.

Among the museum’s most prominent features are large windows that offer views of the park, lake and the mountains on the east shore of Lake George. There is also a new entrance to the museum from the park with large windows.

Both the Visitors Center and the new addition to the museum opened to the public in 2016. They were the first municipal buildings constructed by the town within the hamlet of Bolton Landing since the 1980s.

The 2017 Partnership Award was presented October 25 during the annual meeting of Lakes to Locks Passage in Glens Falls.

For more information on Lakes to Locks Passage, click here.

Photo of Bolton Visitors Center, provided.