The hamlet of Wanakena was established in 1902 by the Rich Lumber Company on 16,000 acres on the southwest side of Cranberry Lake. When the company left Wanakena for Vermont in 1912, rather than dismantling the workers’ houses, they were sold to residents and to tourists as summer residences. Allen Ditch and historian Bill Gleason…
Isaac Johnson’s arrival in the North Country during the late 19th century came after an eventful and tumultuous life. Born enslaved to his father, a Kentucky farmer, Johnson lived a relatively free life until his father sold him, his mother, and his three siblings into slavery for $1,100. After an unsuccessful escape attempt, Johnson eventually…
Public art and architecture come together in a movement that is sweeping St. Lawrence County – barn quilts. Through numerous creative, colorful, and vibrant barn quilts, the county’s communities reflect on their past and share their stories for all to see. These pieces of artwork are mounted on buildings and all tell stories about their…
Sackets Harbor, a picturesque village on the coast of Lake Ontario, was a naval center for the American military during the War of 1812. A battle here in 1813 for control over the shipyard was narrowly won by the Americans. The town is known for its National Register-listed historic district, with its collection of nineteenth-century…
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this tour has been cancelled. William Seward Webb and Frederick W. Vanderbilt originally founded the Kildare Club in 1892, as a 10,000 acre rustic hunting preserve west of Tupper Lake. The Saranac Lake architectural firm of Scopes and Feustmann designed the current complex in 1906, after the original lodge burned. At…
In the late 1800s, a religious fervor swept America resulting in a proliferation of church building and ornamentation. Small towns along the St. Lawrence were no different, although they were blessed to have within the North Country a glass-art studio of prodigious talent. For over 80 years, the Horwood & Sons studio produced hundreds, if…
One of several free tours AARCH is offering this season, highlighting unique structures and the stories behind them. The walking portion of the tour will last approximately two hours; please be prepared for periods of walking and standing. Pre-registration is not required, but is appreciated. Contact Virginia for more information. Located just beyond the Blue…
