Adirondacks – (May 11, 2023) – The 2023 Great Adirondack Garage Sale will take place on Memorial Day weekend, May 26 – 28, 2023, within the Adirondack region of upstate New York. The event takes place throughout communities along a 200-mile trail, along NYS routes 28, 30 and 3.
The annual event has become a popular kick-off to the summer season, with residents and visitors embracing the opportunity to buy and sell unique household items, gently-used home furnishings, and quirky treasures.
It’s time to get out there and clean up Adirondack area towns for the upcoming tourist season. This year, Community Pride Day will occur on Wednesday, May 3. Residents throughout the area will take to the streets with gloves and garbage bags in hand to rid lawns and roadways of detritus left over from fall and winter. All volunteers participating will receive a free shirt to wear with pride while they clean up the streets. The back of these shirts lists all 126 sponsors of this year’s Community Pride Day.
Speculator, NY – The Village of Speculator will soon erect the newly-reconstructed Makomis fire tower near the entrance to the Sacandaga Pathway. It is anticipated to be in place by July 4.
According to Village of Speculator Mayor Jeanette Barrett, this project was solidified after a great deal of planning and hard work.
“The idea of having a fire tower in Speculator has been a long time coming for many people in the area,” said Mayor Barrett.
Preserving the structure and recording its history presents an opportunity to educate people about the history of Adirondack fire towers. Once the fire tower is in place, a kiosk located nearby will highlight the fire tower’s role in the region so that visitors can learn about this important piece of Adirondack history. Mayor Barrett also hopes the fire tower will draw tourists to the area.
The Makomis fire tower was originally a wooden structure, built near the town of North Hudson in 1911. In 1916, the wooden tower was replaced by a steel structure, making it one of the first 11 steel fire towers built in New York State. The fire tower was eventually closed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation in 1970. It was dismantled and removed from the mountain top in 1978 by Bruce Vowles and stored for over 30 years at the home of George Barber, a retired surveyor.
Adirondack area residents are invited to do their part to help clean up their communities in preparation for the summer season during Community Pride Day which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 4. Residents are asked to volunteer their time and take to the streets with gloves and garbage bags in tow to rid their lawns, roadways, and local parks of detritus left over from fall and winter.
The following towns will take part in the event this year: Old Forge, Thendara, Eagle Bay, Big Moose, Inlet, Raquette Lake, Long Lake, Lake Pleasant, Indian Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Speculator, Arietta, Wells, and Morehouse. Several school districts in the Adirondack region will also participate in the event by taking their students outdoors to lend a hand in the clean up effort.
After a cancelation in 2020, this year’s Speculator Craft Fair will be Thursday, Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the ball field at 2834 State Route 30, across from the village beach here.
Sponsored by the Hamilton County Twigs, this juried craft fair features 150 booths of quality handmade goods. Fees are $50 for an outside spot and $60 for a spot in the pavilion. For a vendor application call Barbara Oakes at 518-548-5790 or email her at oakes5@frontiernet.net.
The craft fair is a fundraiser to support emergency medical and health care in the area. Last year $30,000 donated by the Twigs helped four non-profit organizations meet their needs: Speculator, Wells, and Piseco volunteer ambulance squads and the emergency “fly-car.”
Skip the crowds and the Black Friday madness and enjoy Christmas throughout the Central Adirondacks. Santa and Mrs. Claus are making the rounds to see who is going to make the nice list. Local food, fun runs, and crafts are just a few reasons to make Speculator, Indian Lake, Inlet, and Old Forge a holiday stop.
These events have so many activities to choose from. You get to decide if you want to keep it on the more intimate side or festive enough to ring in the Christmas spirit. » Continue Reading.
Oak Mountain in Speculator is set to celebrate their 70 year anniversary on Saturday, February 2nd from 3 to 7 pm.
The public is encouraged to share memories, photos, old ticket stubs or season passes and win prizes. There will be face painting, retro costumes, a torchlight parade, live music by The Willie Playmore Band and beverages by Paradox Brewery. » Continue Reading.
Thursday may be Thanksgiving, but from Speculator to Indian Lake, Christmas bells will be ringing a bit early and providing activities and family fun that is uniquely Adirondack.
With Reindeer Runs and Victorian carolers, as well as local artisans and delicious food, the towns of Speculator, Indian Lake, Inlet, and Old Forge are making sure everyone can celebrate the season in style. » Continue Reading.
The village of Speculator hand launch site on the Sacandaga River is located at the Sacandaga River Community Park in Speculator (the ball field parking area).
Paddlers can access paddle routes on both the Sacandaga River and Kunjamuk River. The Kunjamuk Hand Launch on the Pine Lakes Road provides paddlers direct access to the Kunjamuk River. » Continue Reading.
Cycle Adirondacks, in partnership with Speculator, Inlet and North Creek, have announced six consecutive nights of free community entertainment scheduled for August 18-23 during the Ultimate Cycling Vacation, the bicycle touring company’s annual flagship event.
The three communities will serve as overnight hosts for the event, which is expected to draw over 230 cyclists from across the United States and Canada. » Continue Reading.
Cycle Adirondacks, in partnership with Adirondack Foundation and the Cloudsplitter Foundation, have announced they are seeding and raising funds for community generated projects in Speculator, Inlet and North Creek as part of its CycleADK Gives program.
The three communities will serve as overnight hosts for CycleADK’s 2018 Ultimate Cycling Vacation, which will draw over 230 cyclists from across United States and Canada to the Adirondacks from August 18-24 for a weeklong bicycle tour highlighted by free community entertainment each evening of the event. » Continue Reading.
The Adirondack Community-based Trails and Lodging System (ACTLS) has rescheduled their public meeting at the Lake Pleasant Central School’s gymnasium in Speculator. » Continue Reading.
National Science Foundation Antarctic Astrophysics & Geospace Sciences Program Director Vladimir Papitashvili will speak on global warming Tuesday, July 11, starting at 7 pm at Town of Lake Pleasant Public Library, 2864 State Route 8, Speculator.
Papitashvili is responsible for the NSF’s Antarctic research, including its role in global systems. Examples include ozone, greenhouse gases, ocean circulation and sea level, climate changes, and continental drift. A new proposal focuses on how solar activity influences the properties and dynamics of the polar atmosphere and the global geo-space system. » Continue Reading.
Pilots of seaplanes, land planes and amphibious aircraft are invited to fly-in to Speculator Pilots Weekend June 3 to 5.
Complimentary transportation will be available to pilots throughout the weekend to the event’s various activities and throughout the scenic Adirondack village. » Continue Reading.
Autumn of 1948 had been a particularly dry season. Forest Rangers of that era often remained at their headquarters awaiting a phone call reporting the location of a blaze. The radio system of that time was poor but most outposts and fire towers were connected via phone line.
Daniel McKenzie, a 27 year veteran, was the Forest Ranger for North Hudson at the time and he lived on the Blue Ridge Road. A Ranger’s work schedule was much different then. During dry periods they stayed available all the time and they worked until the work was done. Ranger McKenzie, by all accounts, wore his uniform almost all the time. The Northway was decades away from construction and North Hudson was a more isolated community. In fact, McKenzie first came to the area prior to becoming a ranger to help construct State Route 9. » Continue Reading.
Latest News Headlines
Latest News Headlines
The Adirondack Almanack is a public forum dedicated to promoting and discussing current events, history, arts, nature and outdoor recreation and other topics of interest to the Adirondacks and its communities
We publish commentary and opinion pieces from voluntary contributors, as well as news updates and event notices from area organizations. Contributors include veteran local writers, historians, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Adirondack region. The information, views and opinions expressed by these various authors are not necessarily those of the Adirondack Almanack or its publisher, the Adirondack Explorer.
General inquiries about the Adirondack Almanack should be directed to editor Melissa Hart.
To advertise on the Adirondack Almanack, or to receive information on rates and design, please click here.Catch up on all your Adirondack
news, delivered weekly to your inbox
Help us keep bringing you the Adirondack information you value.
Email
Twitter
RSS
Facebook
Recent Almanack Comments