Sunday, November 9, 2014
Class Division in the Adirondacks
I had an action-packed Adirondack weekend. On Saturday, I canoed the moose with some fellow paddlers (my first time white water canoeing-what a rush!) and today I hiked to the snow-covered summit of Ampersand Mountain. My current emotional/physical/mental state is currently one that I've found only time spent in the 'dacks can give me: Tired, elated, reflective, and dreading the soreness of tomorrow. This class has adding a dimension to the way I think about spending time in the Adirondacks, and reading Terrie's chapter 'The Havoc of the Years' as we drove home through the park proved a good time for reflection. We passed several large houses on the way, and one that definitely qualified as a mansion. Interspersed among these larger houses were smaller, more modest cabins. If it weren't for Terrie's discussion about class division, I probably wouldn't have given the variety of houses a second though. As it was however, I found myself wondering if any sort of animosity of the kind that Terrie discussed still existed in the Park, and if the very visible difference between the mansion and smaller cabins was proof of this. Obviously, some things have changed. Only but the most naive (or willfully ignorant) still hold Roosevelt's opinion that "there are really no classes in American life," and that those did not succeed simply weren't trying hard enough. Furthermore, the outright racism of the elite clubs in the 20th century park certainly does not exist today. However, I'm sure that some of the resentment between classes is still alive and well. While the strength of the middle class may have blurred the line somewhat across the country, I actually think that the Park is one of the best models of this division, as a place where year-round residents often struggle to make a living while wealthy vacationers spend summers in their Adirondack mansions. I wonder if there is resentment between the two parties and how it manifests, particularly in the local lawmaking aspect.
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I have also really enjoyed how this class has been so relatable. I love doing the readings and recognizing places I've been, hiked, boated, and otherwise visited.
ReplyDeleteRegarding this more specific topic, I do think this division is still present in the Adirondack, though maybe not as intensely. Often it is between vacationers and residents, regardless of class (though the fact that many vacationers have second homes in the ADKS can give some indication of their class status), and probably manifests in ways similar to other touristy areas. Residents and vacationers will often have different ideas about how to use/treat their spaces, and this can obviously lead to conflict, whether it be a personal conflict between two parties or one on a larger scale. Throughout this course, I've gathered that it is often economic drives that motivate actions of residents, because it needs to be. With their often higher class status, and ability to leave the space at any time, the economic situation of a given Adirondack town is far less important to the vacationers, and they will often fight to protect the land, even if it interferes with a source of income for the town. Obviously, many residents care about the well-being of the land just as much, but they are often forced to make their decisions based on their ability to provide for themselves or their families, possibly leading them to make the decision, for example, to allow ATV-ing in their towns.