Posts Tagged ‘Upper Works’

Thursday, September 28, 2023

OSI begins work to restore historic MacNaughton Cottage

artistic rendition of MacNaughton cottage

The Open Space Institute (OSI) has announced the start of investigative and structural work on the historic MacNaughton Cottage, located at the OSI-owned and managed 212-acre Adirondac Upper Works property in the Adirondacks. MacNaughton Cottage is the site from which then-Vice President Theodore Roosevelt began his famous “midnight ride to the presidency” in 1901 after receiving news that President William McKinley had been shot in Buffalo.

The first phase of improvements to MacNaughton Cottage will focus on interior demolition and clean-up to ensure stabilization of this important historic structure. All work is designed to inform plans for future rehabilitation and potential adaptive reuse of the cottage.

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Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of OSI’s Upper Work Trailhead

upper works

Celebration for long-awaited trailhead and visitor amenity improvements draws community and local officials.

The Open Space Institute (OSI) has announced details of the grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting at its new Upper Works Trailhead at the Adirondac Upper Works. (Click here to see a story about the project in Adirondack Explorer) The event will celebrate recent upgrades OSI has made to the site, including the parking area expansion and relocation, stabilization of the McIntyre Blast Furnace, and improved visitor access to the southern High Peaks. The event will take place adjacent to the historic MacNaughton Cottage. Limited event parking will be available at the new, Upper Works trailhead and parking area and along the road. Following the speakers, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony.

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Tuesday, September 8, 2020

OSI: Upper Works projects almost complete

McNaughton Cottage at Tahawus Ghost TownThe Open Space Institute (OSI) has announced that a series of projects aimed at improving public access at its historic, 212-acre Adirondac Upper Works property are near completion. The property serves as a southern entrance to many popular High Peaks Wilderness Area trails. Once completed, this project will better accommodate the growing number of people coming to explore the High Peaks – and in doing so, better disperse visitors to the area and protect the region’s hiking trails and precious natural resources.

Among the projects underway is the construction of a new, 60-car parking area and trailhead. The projects are part of OSI’s $1 million capital improvement plan to upgrade overall public access to Upper Works, Henderson Lake, and the Adirondack High Peaks; preserve and improve its historic structures; and deepen visitor engagement.

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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

PROTECT Advocates for 36,500 Acres of New Wilderness Lands

Boreas Ponds Dam aerial photo by Carl HeilmanProtect the Adirondacks has released a proposal to expand Wilderness areas in the Adirondack Park by over 36,500 acres. This includes Wilderness classification for much of The Nature Conservancy/former Finch, Pruyn and Company lands that border the High Peaks Wilderness and the creation of a new West Stony Creek Wilderness area in the southern Adirondacks.

This would be the biggest expansion of Wilderness in the Adirondacks since Governor Pataki acted in 2000 to establish the 20,000-acre William C. Whitney Wilderness area, which included upgrading of the 7,500-acre Lake Lila Primitive Area to Wilderness, and expanded both the Five Ponds Wilderness and Pepperbox Wilderness by over 21,000 acres.

Ours is a realistic proposal that provides Wilderness classification and protection for the most important natural resource areas of the land involved. It also aims to facilitate motorized access for limited roads open to the public and snowmobiles. We make a good faith effort at providing a workable and realistic classification and management that complies with the law, protects natural resources, and meets the objectives of many different interests. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, September 10, 2015

High Peaks Oil Trains: A Primer On The Issues

Iowa Pacific oil trainsThe Iowa-Pacific rail company took state officials and environmental activists by surprise in July when it unveiled a plan to store hundreds of drained oil-tanker cars on its tracks near Tahawus on the edge of the High Peaks Wilderness.

Ed Ellis, the president of Iowa Pacific, says revenue from storing the cars will help keep afloat its tourist train, the Saratoga & North Creek Railway, which has been losing money. Critics contend Iowa Pacific is creating a quasi-junkyard in the Adirondack Park. » Continue Reading.



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