July 2016

We are back on NY-28 heading north west.The Hudson River between North Creek and North River.They have several pull offs where you can read some history and just watch the water.Adirondack Museum.  This place ROCKS!!  If you have never been, you need to go.24 buildings, 121 acres and 40,000 sq.ft of exhibitions.  They have an app that you download on your phone and where ever you see a number, you just click on the app and the location is narrated.  Very cool!You start off at the Visitor Center where there is a very impressive sloop.A beautiful wooden sailboat.Water Witch, built in 1900.She is an Idem Class racing sloop.  She was built for racing in the Adirondacks.This cool boat was outside.  It is 14′ long.Look at that cute steering wheel. Inboard, 2-cylinder gas launch.Purchased in 1918 and named “Vic” for his wife Victoria.the propellerIt is hard to believe that this beauty was built in 1918.The Museum starts with the “Boats & Boating” building. These pictures are not going to do these boats justice.  They are absolutely Beautiful.Carved out of a tree.The one of the left is an Open sailing canoe. 16′ long.There canoes are so beautiful on the inside and the cane seats are amazing.The Poor Man’s Yacht.  A canoe with a canopy so they have privacy when needed.Called Canoe Cruising in the 1870s and 1880s.Rushton made a lot of canoes back then.You could put a sail on the front.Not everyone thought this was a good idea.There were games where you tried to knock each other out of the canoe.Beautiful collection of wooden canoes.Now on to the introduction of power.By the 1880s, engineers were looking for a replacement for steam as power for boats.  The Naphtha engine was introduced to the world.The hull of this boat is that of a naphtha launch used by the A.G. Vanderbilt family in the Adirondacks.She was converted to gasoline power in the early twentieth century.Skeeter was built for racing, but she only raced 3 times.  This boat is 45′ long.  The rules handicapped boats like this in the early 1900’s.The mail boat only came to a full stop for large packages.  Generally, the clerk delivered incoming mail with his right hand and took outgoing mail with his left.  A chain across the opening kept the mailman from falling out.Eagle Nest built in 1905.All wooden racing boat.Adirondack Guideboat. One of the most famous in this area and definitely some of the most beautiful craftsmanship you will see.The back rest was also used for shoulder supports to help you carry the boat.Sagamore Hotel dock in Long Lake.Allison Warner is currently the boat-builder in-residence at the museum.  She has built 14 guideboats so far.  When they are complete, they are auctioned at the Museum’s annual Gala.  I did not find out the going price though.The ribs are made of spruce.It takes her approximately 500 hours to complete one boat.Rushton is a famous style of guideboats.Boat builders shop in the early 1900’s.A typical guideboat is 15 – 17′ long.Different types of oars.The River Drive boat was used in logging.  The square stern was used for stability.Finch, Pruyn and Company used boats in the early days. Once they moved to road transportation, they kept the same powder blue color on their trucks as they used on their boats.Mohawk famous basket-weavers are known as some of the most creative weavers in the world.  The Mohawk community in Akwesasne, NY are still teaching this beautiful tradition.Made from Black Ash and Sweet Grass.Stunning masterpieces.The Blue Mountain House opened in 1876 as a hotel for vacationers.The Minne-ha-ha was used to transport visitors while they are in the Adirondacks.They played badminton and bowling.Large hotels were built all over the Adirondacks.Beautiful flowers everywhere.Blue Mountain Lake. Sunset Cottage was built as a sleeping quarters.  Named after the radiating pattern on its gables from split spruce limbs.It was built as part of Camp Cedars by the Durant family.In 1936, Mrs. Durant sold Camp Cedars to Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney.  A hurricane severely damaged much of the camp in 1950.  Fortunately, Sunset Cottage was not destroyed.  That winter Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (Mrs.Whitney’s son) skidded the cottage across the ice to his Camp Deerlands on Little Forked Lake.  Sunset Cottage was donated to the Adirondack Museum in 1995.This was the dining porch.The Adirondack Park has 8 million visitors a year.  Wow!Anne LaBastille wrote the Woodswoman series.  She designed and help build her own cabin.She spent part of each year there writing until she died in 2011.This was her canoe.

There is a whole section on the 1932 and 1980 Olympics that were held at Lake Placid.The Winter Olympics in 1932, was the first Winter Olympics held in North America.The bobsled used by the Stevens brothers.Early ice skates.A whole building on fishing and camping.primitive campingGlamping – traditional Adirondack lean-toTent camping Adirondack style.

At this point, my camera battery died.  There is a whole building on the logging industry in the Adirondack Mountain.  It gives the whole history and the difficulties of the lumberjacks.  It was very good.

So, if you are ever in the Adirondack Mountains, this museum is a must see.  Thanks for going along with us.  Sorry I could show any photos of the rest of the place.

It is on to Essex Junction, VT and the 56th Annual Escapade.