Posts Tagged ‘Architecture – Historic Preservation’

Sunday, August 9, 2015

New Appreciation For Old Lake George Courthouse

Jim Martino head of the Lake George Buildings and Grounds department in the restored LG courtroomThe Lake George Historical Museum is housed in the former Warren County courthouse, built in the decades between 1845 and 1878.

To the annoyance and frustration of the directors of the Lake George Historical Association, which operates the museum, and the Supervisor and Board of the Town of Lake George, which owns the building, the courthouse has not always been treated with the respect a museum of local history, let alone a historic building, deserves.

In recent years though, things have begun to change. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, August 6, 2015

View’s House Tour by Boat May Be The Last

Fulton Chain great camp lodgeView, the arts center in Old Forge, has announced another opportunity to tour the interiors of some of the camps on the Fulton Chain.  During View’s annual House Tour by Boat twenty houseboats will depart at 10 am from the Old Forge Lakefront on Saturday, August 15, to take passengers to get an exclusive look at the grounds and interiors of the camps that boaters usually only observe from the water.

This may be the last year for the popular House Tour by Boat according to View organizers, who say it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find camp owners willing to participate who haven’t yet done so. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Adirondack Architectural Heritage Celebrating 25 Years

Stone Mill VisionsAdirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) will transform its historic 1849 National Register-listed Stone Mill with lights, linens, food, and music to host its 25th Anniversary “rustic-elegant” Gala event on Saturday August 1, 2015.

Located behind AARCH’s office building, this 11,000-square-foot mill overlooking the Ausable River once produced horseshoe nails for the Ausable Horse Nail Company and was at the center of the village’s economy for more than eighty years. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, July 9, 2015

Wilder Homestead Named Literary Landmark

WilderThe Wilder Homestead in Burke, NY, will be designated a Literary Landmark during a celebration on Saturday, July 11. The Homestead is the setting for Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Farmer Boy (1933), and is where Laura’s husband Almanzo grew up from 1857 until his family moved to Minnesota in 1875.

A bronze plaque will be unveiled during the celebration in conjunction with the Homestead’s Children’s Art Event (10 am to 4 pm). There will be art activities for children and 19th century games, along with an awards ceremony for the children’s art show. The public is invited to hear author and historian William Anderson speak about the Ingalls/Wilder family homes. Museum admission applies to this event. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, June 18, 2015

Historic Warrensburgh Walking Tours This Weekend

Warrensburg Historical Society BuildingOn Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21 the Warrensburgh Historical Society will be conducting a walking tour of the early residential and civic district of the village, led by architectural historian Delbert Chambers.  The tour will pass more than 30 historic properties and is one of four walking and two driving tours being developed by the Society’s Preservation Committee.

The one-mile tour will be held each day at 10 am starting at the Warrensburgh Museum of Local history, 3754 Main Street and will take approximately two hours, including a rest stop at the Miles Thomas House (currently Senior Citizen Building). Admission is free, but each tour will be limited to twenty people. Reservations must be made by calling Town Historian Sandi Parisi at 623-2207. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Big Changes Sought For Camp Santanoni

Great Camp Gate House SantanoniThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released an updated draft unit management plan (UMP) for the Camp Santanoni Historic Area, located on the NYS Forest Preserve in Newcomb, NY, in the heart of the Adirondack Park. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Adirondack Historic Preservation Projects Sought

Fanita Boathouse - 2014 AARCH Preservation AwardeeAdirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) is seeking nominations for their 2015 Historic Preservation awards.

The organization looks to recognize historic buildings that have been well-cared for over time, or brought back to life. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, May 5, 2015

An Adirondack Mystery: What Is It?

Danker Farm  Foundation 1Hiking through any abandoned “working landscape” in the Adirondacks you are likely to come across evidence of the people that were here before: a lilac bush deep in the forest, an old butternut tree, perhaps an odd patch of daylilies, and, of course, old cellar holes and stonewalls.

The old Danker Farm in Johnsburg is just such a place. It probably hasn’t been used for any real farming for almost a century now. Like most abandoned farms in the Adirondacks, its pastures and fields have grown up to a chaotic mixture of poplar, white pine, fir, maple, beech and white birch. And, like most old farmland, the property is littered with old stone foundations and crumbling stonewalls. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, April 2, 2015

AARCH, Partners To Restore Fire Towers

Hurricane Mountain Fire Tower at sunrise  Photo by Michele DrozdAdirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) has partnered with two volunteer groups, the Friends of Hurricane Mountain and the Friends of St. Regis Mountain Fire Tower to facilitate the restoration, interpretation, and management of the Hurricane Mountain and St. Regis Mountain fire towers.

Both groups were formed to advocate for the preservation and public use of these towers, which were built in the early 20th century to protect Adirondack forests from devastating forest fires. In November, 2014, the New York State Department of Conservation (DEC) issued a final unit management plan that would recognize the historic significance of the towers and allow for their restoration. » Continue Reading.


Monday, March 30, 2015

Santanoni: Historic Preservation And Nature

Entering the Santanoni main compoundAs I skied south and uphill, away from Santanoni Great Camp, I was asked – “on the record” – for my reactions. It was family weekend recently at Santanoni, with plenty of skiers in family groups including dogs.  I said something like “this ski has become an annual ritual.” After all everyone knows that Newcomb has the best Adirondack snow come late winter. I looked forward to seeing and listening again to the camp’s master carpenter, Michael Frenette, over a hot drink.

The chance to see Santanoni and Moose Mountains rising into the blue sky above the winter glare of Newcomb Lake is also very attractive. The Japanese influence on the camp’s layout, the impact the architecture makes, the history there – it does set your mind going. After talking into the reporter’s microphone, I had to admit that my attitude towards the restoration of the Santanoni had changed over the years. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Playhouses: Overlooked Adirondack Architecture

Pell playhouse at the Pavilion near Fort TiconderogaFor children traveling to the Adirondacks in the 19th century, it was not enough to have unregulated access to the woods and waters, much of which could be explored in their own, custom built boats.

They were built their own playhouses as well. According to Steven Engelhart, the executive director of Adirondack Architectural History, several great camps featured playhouses and childrens’ cabins, some in the rustic style, others suited to more eclectic tastes.

It’s not clear how many survive, but we know of at least two in the Lake George region. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Architectural Preservation Award Nominees Sought

014 Preservation Award Winners at the Woods Inn, InletAdirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) is seeking nominations for its 2015 Historic Preservation Awards.  The organization looks to recognize sensitive restoration and rehabilitative projects, large and small, completed in the Adirondack region during the past two years.

The AARCH Preservation Awards annually recognize projects which help revive the historic character of a building or structure, through restoration or adaptive reuse, as well as those that have been consistently cared for over time. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Keene Eye on Architecture Exhibition

aarch exhibitAdirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) will welcome renowned architect Nils Luderowski to AARCH’s Clayton Family Gallery.

Luderowski specializes in architecture and design in an Adirondack vernacular and this exhibition features a uniquely expressive series of drawings from a variety of the architect’s regional projects. » Continue Reading.


Friday, January 16, 2015

Keene Eye on Architecture Exhibition

aarch exhibitAdirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) will welcome renowned architect Nils Luderowski to AARCH’s Clayton Family Gallery.

Luderowski specializes in architecture and design in an Adirondack vernacular and this exhibition features a uniquely expressive series of drawings from a variety of the architect’s regional projects. » Continue Reading.


Monday, December 29, 2014

Preservation Grants For Westport, Fort Ticonderoga

The Y-D House at Fort TiconderogaThe Preservation League of New York State recently made two grants to support preservation efforts in Essex County.

The Town of Westport received a Preserve New York grant of $7,000 to support the cost of completing a National Register Historic District nomination for the Hamlet of Westport.

The League also presented a Technical Assistance Grant of $3,000 to the Fort Ticonderoga Association to support the cost of a building condition survey of the circa 1912 “Y-D House”, a very rare example of a full size rustic building built for the use of children in America. » Continue Reading.



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