The ADK Museum

The Adirondack Museum: A Look Back

            While on my class field trip this past weekend, we made our last stop at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake. Most people view National and State Parks as a variation of a museum in itself, as it allows for visitors to view sites that they aren’t able to see in everyday life. Despite the natural beauty of the park, a museum still exists to inform the public about the history of the region and park’s interactions with humans. The museum maintains ten permanent exhibits that are interactive and sometimes even have outdoor components. Some of the permanent exhibits include a history of boats and boating, a history of roads and railroads, and my personal favorite, the history and traditions of logging in the Adirondacks. The logging exhibit featured hands on features, such as feeling specific woods what their use would be. It featured models of the living conditions the loggers lived in and excerpts detailing some of their lives, which can be best described as short and dangerous. It also detailed some transport methods of the logs, which included floating logs down a river and a form of corralling to keep them moving. The term ‘log jam’ was formed when multiple logs would catch onto an area inland and catch more logs until a massive jam was created. Disbanding these logs was quite the chore, often requiring the use of dynamite. In addition to the logging exhibit, the story of Theodore Roosevelt’s journey from the top of Mt. Marcy once he learned the of the impending death of incumbent president William McKinley, including one of wagon’s Roosevelt used to travel from Tahawus to the nearest train station.

            This special museum offers ample opportunity to learn about history of the Adirondacks in a setting that provides a general history of the region, details about certain industries, and even personal anecdotes illustrating the beauty and hardships that encompass the land. The museum’s goal of providing life to the history of the park is wonderfully executed, making it a must see for any visitor to the park.

"The Real Story of the Adirondacks: Yesterday and Today." Adirondack Museum. N.p.,

            n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.