The Works Progress Administration (WPA) is formed from The New Deal.  Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act creating a government pension system for the retired.  Nazi Germany adopts a new flag of Germany, or national flag bearing the swastika.  The Triborough Bridge in NYC is open to traffic.

Locally, the first of three sandy beaches opened at Lake Tiorati in 1935.  Later two other beaches at Lake Sebago and Lake Welch would be established.  (1)  The Silvermine area was developed for downhill skiing at Lake Menomine, later called Silvermine Lake.  Downhill skiing grew in popularity and a second slope was developed in the early 1940s. By this time, six fire towers had been built in the Palisades Interstate Park. (2) The Jackie Jones Fire Tower in Harriman was restored in 2018 by the NYS Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association;  https://vimeo.com/291136930.

“The Palisades Interstate Park Commission continued to acquire private property to construct the man-made lakes.  One of the most newsworthy acquisitions was the cabin of Ramsey Conklin to build Pine Meadow Lake.  Upon his death in 1952, it was thought that he was the last person to be buried on park property in his family plot.

Back at Camp Nawakwa, the Council authorized the drilling of a well.  The Chapter had to assume the entire cost.  Initially, the water was contaminated.  It was thought that seepage down the casing was the source of the trouble.  The present concrete platform around the well was laid and no further trouble developed.  No record of the cost could be found.  The depth is about 96 feet.  (3)

Despite the Great Depression being officially over, finances remained difficult and the Chapter lowered the Camp Overnight Charges to $1.00 for non-members and 50¢ for members.  Day Guests: 25¢.

 

In this period, the New York Chapter constituted about one-third the membership of the entire Club.

• A three-day weekend at Mohonk Mountain House was $3 per day for room and meals.
• The Chapter lobbied for the end of quarrying operations on the Hudson River side of Mount Taurus.
• The Annual Dinner Dance was held at the Hotel Laurelton, 149 West 55^th St.  Evening dress was optional.  Cost $1.75.
• In April 1935, The Trail Marker moved from 81/2 x 14” single sided paper to a folded green format that remained for many years.
• An appropriation of $200 was made for the construction of the canoe dock along the shore to be done by the Park Commission.  The dimensions: 40’ x 20’.
• The announcement of the 1935 Spring cleanup: “There is a lot of wood around to be cut but it has been rumored that a definitely inverse relationship had been observed between the wood cut and the wood burned by individuals.”
• The Park re-shingled all of the Camp Nawakwa buildings in 1935.” (4)

Ellen King
Archivist

 

1. Images of America – New York’s Palisades Interstate Park, Barbara H. Gottlock and Wesley Gottlock, 2007
2. Images of America – Harriman State Park, Ronnie Clark Coffey, 2010
3. A History by Ira Ayres, Adirondack Club, New York
4. 1934 – 1935 Trail Markers

A series of posts as we look forward to the 100th Anniversary of ADKNY in 2023

Greetings fellow Nawakwa Historians,

Prohibition is repealed and the 21^st Amendment officially goes into effect making alcohol legal in the United States.  15 million people are unemployed in the country.  Adolf Hitler becomes the Fuhrer of Germany.

Locally, Eleanor Roosevelt unveiled the memorial plaque in honor of Stephen T. Mather, the first director of the National Park Service at the Trailside Museum in Bear Mountain State Park.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. gifted 723 acres, valued at $18,000,000 to the PIPC to build the parkway from the George Washington Bridge to the NYS line.

President and Mrs. Roosevelt returned to Bear Mountain to inspect and dedicate the George W. Perkins Memorial Highway.” (1)

“This was a lean period for the Adirondack Mountain Club.  Overall membership dropped from a high of 910 in 1931 to a low of 570 in 1938, fewer than the number of original charter members.  The 1929 crash on Wall Street was to send the nation into the Great Depression.  World War II would follow.

With the new Chapters spread out and distanced from the Main Club, many members had a chapter outlook and drifted away from the activities and concerns of the Main Club.  There was a fear that this central focus of the Club would be lost as members put their efforts into local chapter activities.  At the same time, with Chapter activities taking place close to home, the Chapters attracted members from areas of the state far away from the Main Club.  The future growth of the Club was dependent on the creation of more Chapters.  In 1933 there were three ADK Chapters; Albany, New York and Glens Falls.

The first authoritative guide was published, “Guide to Adirondack Trails, Northeastern Section”, costing 75 cents.  Later this guide became the well-known High Peaks Region guide.  The original plan was to produce an encyclopedia of information but this was not to be, due to the financial constraints of the ADK.“ (2)

While finances were tight, the NY Chapter managed to have an active Social Committee.  “June 16, 1933: The Trail Marker included a reminder of the “DINNER AND BRIDGE PARTY” to be held at Butler Hall, Columbia University. An evening of games including bridge and jig-saw puzzles will follow the dinner in the solarium.  The dinner will be one dollar including tip.  The bridge will be fifty cents.

DINNER AND DANCING – THURSDAY, AUGUST 17^TH at the St. George Hotel Roof, 26^th floor, 61 Clark St, Brooklyn.  Cost $1.50 includes everything.

MOONLIGHT SAIL to Sandy Hook!  Stroll on the deck or dance in the ballroom.  Do come!  The S.S. Sandy Hook leaves pier 81 – west 42^nd Street at 8:15 pm.  Special rate for sail – 75 cents.

For the first time, keys were issued to all members with cars to the gate at the end of the drive.  Stern warnings were given to anyone who failed to lock the gate behind them.

The Chapter invited Nicholas Spadavecchia, a member of The Cosmic Ray Expedition to Mount McKinley, to speak at Town Hall, NYC.  Two members of that expedition died on the mountain.

55 new blankets were purchased and the wire closet in the infirmary room was built.  $250 was appropriated for the purchase.  The old blankets were donated to the Suffern Red Cross.

Times were hard and the annual locker fee was reduced to $3.” (3)

1. Palisades 100,000 Acres in 100 Years, Robert O. Binnewies
2. With Wilderness at Heart: A Short History of the Adirondack Mountain Club 75^th Anniversary 1922 – 1997, Bruce Wadsworth
3. 1932 – 1933 Trail Markers

Ellen King

Archivist