The Adirondacks

By Scherelene L. Schatz

In 1892, the Adirondack Park, located in the northeast corner of New York, was declared "forever wild," and from then on, public land could not be further developed. Early on, tourists were drawn to the clear blue lakes, winding rivers and streams, and awe-inspiring mountain peaks of the region. The stunning scenery of the Adirondacks suited the postcard perfectly, making the medium the primary method park visitors used to correspond with family and friends, whether on a trip for healing from tuberculosis and other breathing disorders or vacationing from New York City and the surrounding area. Today the park remains an unspoiled wilderness that continues to draw visitors eager to enjoy its natural beauty.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Nov 10, 2008
• ISBN: 9781439621820

Scherelene L. Schatz

Scherelene L. Schatz began visiting family and friends in the Adirondacks more than 50 years ago. Her personal collection of vintage postcards offers a glimpse of the Adirondacks in the early 20th century, as the region evolved from a haven for hunters, loggers, and miners to a tourist destination for the rich and famous.

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INTRODUCTION

The postcards in this book trace the history of the Adirondacks by region beginning with the late 1800s through the 1950s. The cards reflect as well the development of the postcard itself, spanning the undivided back era, the divided back era, early modern era, and the linen card era.

In 1907, postcard history was affected greatly by the U.S. government’s allowing the use of divided back postcards for correspondence. Prior to this time, correspondence was permitted only on the front of cards. At this time, the number of cards increased exponentially. Many of the cards used in the United States were printed by European publishers. As American technology advanced, cards produced during the early modern era typically came to be printed with a white border around the picture. The linen card era brought about very bright and vivid colors on a linen-type paper stock. The postcards in this collection exemplify this development, showing how a simple card can be adorned to convey, from sender to recipient, across the miles the beauty and history of a region, while at the same time communicating on the reverse a personal note, sometimes reflecting upon the card’s illustration.

The subject of all these cards, the vast area known as the Adirondack Park, located in the northeast corner of New York State, was declared forever wild over a century ago in 1892. With that declaration, no portion of the Adirondack Park could be further developed than what was already privately owned. This state park is the home of 2.3 million acres of forest preserve, 8,000 square miles of mountains, 2,000 mountain peaks, over 2,300 lakes and ponds, and 1,500 miles of rivers. The awesome mountain peaks, the clear blue mountain lakes, rivers, and streams, the forests and trees, wildflowers, and animal wildlife remain untouched for people to visit, hike, and relax—and yes, to paint and to photograph. The stunning scenery of the Adirondacks suited the postcard perfectly, making this medium the primary method park visitors used to correspond with family and friends, whether on a trip to the area for healing from tuberculosis and other breathing disorders or vacationing from New York City and the surrounding area.

The cards in this collection portray the Adirondacks as they were photographed during the early 20th century. They are arranged by region and depict the towns and villages, tourist areas, and the natural beauty of the area. The cards depict the key towns as they grew during the expansion period of the Adirondack Park. They also reflect changes in population, from the early hunters, loggers, farmers, and miners, to the rich and famous who discovered the area as a vacation destination.

This postcard chronology covers, for example, the Gilded Age that gave rise to numerous rustic great camps and hotels in the area. As people discovered the Adirondack wilderness, they shared their experiences with friends and relatives. Hotels and multi-building complexes with an Adirondack rustic theme were built to accommodate the tourists. Family-oriented tourist attractions such as Santa’s Workshop emerged during the 1950s to attract tourists with children.

Also chronicled are the many roads that were built throughout the mountainsides and along the rivers and streams and in the villages, including the highway constructed to the summit of Whiteface Mountain. The roads can be seen as they develop from dirt roads to macadam highways and streets. Other postcards depict the tourist boat rides that ran on the lakes and through the Ausable Chasm. Still others recall the village of Lake Placid as it hosted the 1932 Winter Olympics and the history of Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau who established the first tuberculosis sanitarium in Saranac Lake, soon to become a world-renowned healing center for tuberculosis patients.

As you journey through the Adirondack past, you may recognize landmarks, scenic views, and towns that still exist today. Other scenes have long since disappeared, recalled only by the camera and the painter’s brush. Regardless postcards and the Adirondacks go hand-in-hand, a twining of nature and art ripe for the imagination.

One

EASTERN ADIRONDACKS

When entering the Adirondack Park in