In the North Country, wind and solar infrastructure, facilities, and farms are helping to power a renewable energy future. During this outing, we will first take a deep dive into the systems and design of Marble River Wind Farm, a facility in rural Churubusco that features an installed total capacity of 215.25 megawatts. Atop tubular…
Established as a Methodist Campground on Wellesley Island along the St. Lawrence River in 1885, Thousand Island Park boasts a rich and vibrant collection of historic architecture. Soon after its founding, roughly 500 family tents populated the grounds and later evolved into unique tent cottages that still exist today. This tour of Thousand Island Park will…
Camp Santanoni, a 12,900-acre wilderness estate established in 1892, and its 200-acre working farm, are an architectural wonder rich with the stories of the people who have lived and worked at, enjoyed, and preserved the site. While women have always played a central role at Santanoni, their stories have not always been told. This day-long…
Opened by the Ogdensburg’s Sisters of Mercy as a Tuberculosis curing facility in 1897, the Camp Gabriels complex carries a deep web of interconnected stories through various operations at the site for over a century. Gabriels stood as the second major curing sanitorium of its time after the pioneering efforts of Saranac Lake’s Dr. Edward…
The serene backdrop of Caroga Lake in the southern Adirondacks has long been a destination for artists, musicians, and creatives. Its buildings, landscapes, and history offer a rich tapestry to explore the impact of how a former artists’ colony inspires a vibrant, modern-day arts movement in the area, one that thrives under the stewardship of…
The Plattsburgh Military Reservation goes by many names—the Plattsburgh Barracks, the Plattsburgh Air Force Base, even simply “the Oval.” Regardless of what you call it, the area is home to numerous, mostly adaptively reused military structures. This section of Plattsburgh was the site of British and American engagements during the War of 1812, and…
Join architect and guide Chuck Higgerson on a day-long adventure focused on Santanoni’s construction and last year’s extensive Save America’s Treasures grant-funded restoration project. Journey on a horse-drawn wagon and hear about the history of the camp and farm and the architects, builders, and catalogs behind their designs. Once you arrive, you will learn how…
Explore the marvelous rustic architecture of Raquette Lake—by boat and by foot—largely designed by architect William West Durant. Tour Durant’s first camp, Pine Knot, started in the 1870s, which established the features now associated with Adirondack rustic camp architecture. The Antlers—originally operated as a hotel and cottage resort—was designed in 1886 by a friend of…
Big Wolf Lake is a large, pristine waterbody near Tupper Lake, the centerpiece of a 4,000-acre private preserve. Among the 30 or more camps standing along its shoreline are five designed by noted Adirondack architect William Distin, as well as other historic and architecturally interesting lodges, camps, and structures. Originally a mystery tour back in…
Two of the Adirondacks’ most storied canoe carries sit in the Upper Saranac Lake watershed and both exhibit distinct historical legacies. In 1854, Virgil Bartlett established an inn for 50 guests and a horse-drawn wagon service for transporting boats along the portage between Upper Saranac and Middle Saranac Lakes. Legendary for its trout fishing and…
