Preserving the architecture and communities of the Adirondacks through education, action, and advocacy
Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) is the nonprofit historic preservation organization for New York State’s Adirondack region. AARCH was formed in 1990 with a mission to promote better public understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the Adirondacks’ unique and diverse architectural heritage.
This legacy includes not only the nationally recognized “Great Camps” and other rustic buildings but also the many other structures that embody the whole range of human experience in the region. These other structures include: a wide variety of homes and farmsteads; the churches, commercial buildings, town halls and libraries that make up most Adirondack settlements; bridges, railroad buildings, lighthouses and other transportation related structures; and industrial sites related to the region’s important iron, wood, quarrying and tanning industries.
AARCH has an active and engaged membership of over 1200. AARCH membership is made up of people who care about the region’s architecture, communities, history, and quality of life. Our members are year-round and seasonal residents, organizations, local governments, businesses, and others who love the Adirondack region.
Adirondack Architectural Heritage is a 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit organization.
Financials & Policies
Accomplishments
Our Office
AARCH is headquartered in historic Keeseville, New York, in the former office building of the Ausable Horse Nail Company. The circa 1850 stone building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Keeseville’s large historic district. Adjacent to the office building is an 1849 stone mill. This is a rare surviving group of mid-19th century, water-powered, industrial buildings, which were once the heart of Keeseville’s booming horse nail manufacturing industry.
AARCH purchased and and in 2009-2010, sensitively renovated the Main Street building to serve as our organization’s headquarters. We sold the office and stone mill properties in early 2022 but continue to occupy the Main Street building, which houses the AARCH offices, research library, and gallery space as well as a residential apartment and offices rented by AdkAction.
Please stop by and visit us if you are in the area. Keeseville is a great community to explore, with its many historic buildings, three historic bridges, and its dynamic location on the Ausable River. You can explore the village with the help of a self-guided walking tour booklet called A Thoroughly Wide Awake Little Village, which is available through AARCH.
AARCH has also undertaken a project to create a new public waterfront park on an adjacent property along the Ausable River.