Clarence Petty

With the creation of the Forest Commission, the Adirondack Park’s boundaries became more thoroughly regulated. Soon many residents of the Adirondacks found themselves squatting on state land, even though they may have lived there for decades. While we have discussed the issues brought about by the increase in squatters in the early 20^th century, we rarely focused on what happened to these residents after they were evicted. Clarence Petty was born in 1905 and lived with his family in an illegal shanty on the Upper Saranac Lake. (Hevesi). Petty’s dad had been a guide and built his home on the Forest Preserve (Bidell). Petty’s family was evicted from their dwelling and moved to a house without plumbing and electricity in Coreys, New York. While Petty’s family faced opposition from the Forest Commission, this did not stop him from continuing to protect the Adirondacks and increase regulations as he grew up.      

            Petty has worked continuously throughout his life to ensure the Adirondacks are preserved.  Petty worked with the Conservation Department as a ranger and used his flight skills to fight forest fires in the park. He surveyed over 10,000 acres for the state in an effort to increase protection for certain areas. Much like the rangers before him, Petty mapped remote areas of the park and continued to push for additions to the Forest Preserve. Petty later worked for the Adirondack Park Agency where he helped develop land management plans (Bidell). Clarence Petty was a model preservationist and continued to support conservation efforts throughout the decades when many were less concerned about the condition of the park. He had an undying love and respect for the park and worked tirelessly to ensure it was protected. Petty’s efforts have made the park what it is today and his story has inspired many throughout the region.

Special thanks to Rachel for the peer review.

Works Cited

Bidell, Ellen. "Adirondack Inspiration: Clarence Petty." New York State Conservationist. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Feb. 2009. Web. 23 Apr. 2015. <http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/51186.html>.

Hevesi, Dennis. "Clarence Petty, Protector of the Adirondacks, Dies at 104." The New York Times. The New York Times, 05 Dec. 2009. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/science/earth/06petty.html?_r=0>.