The Saratoga & North Creek Railway

As our jitneys traveled around the Adirondacks this weekend, filled with sleepy passengers and dedicated navigators, we felt many times the unmistakable jostle of tires on train tracks.  One such crossing occurred in Warren County, right before we crossed the Hudson.  Those tracks run through the tiny hamlet of Riparius, the same cluster of cottages where I have spent many months with my family, and are a part of the Saratoga & North Creek Railway.  As mundane as our encounter with the S&NC was this weekend, the railway is a crucial part of the area's history and a rich example of the railroad's influence on the park.

The line now used by the S&NC was built in 1871 by Thomas C. Durant, Vice President of the Union Pacific Railroad Co.  Like many at the time, Durant hoped the line would help his industrial and recreational investments in the park.  Although the transportation of goods from the tannery, garnet mine, and woodworking plant in North Creek was an initial part of the line's usage, Durant quickly realized demand was higher for transportation of summer visitors to the park.  In fact, as industry in the park declined, the popularity of both its summer runs and its winter "ski trains," which brought skiers from Schenectady and New York City to the slopes of Gore Mountain, kept the line running through the Great Depression until demand for iron from the mine at Tahawus during World War II revived the its industrial use.  In 1901, the North Creek station became famous for being where Vice President Teddy Roosevelt learned he was to be sworn into office as President of the United States.

The station at North Creek

Today, the rich history of the line continues to sustain the Saratoga & North Creek Railway.  According to their website, the railway "harkens back to the days when train travel was sophisticated and elegant."  The "leisurely" train ride provides stunning views of the Hudson River, making stops at various adorable riverside hamlets, and offers "exceptional on-board dining prepared fresh to order."  Catering, (quite literally) to the tastes of down-staters who can access the railway from connecting lines in Saratoga Springs, NY, the railway continues the tradition of tourism, offering in addition to the ski trains stops at locations where visitors can experience canoeing, kayaking, shopping, and even visiting local art galleries.  The railway, by making use of the historic line, helps to minimize car traffic in the area while offering many towns visitors that otherwise would have gravitated toward larger tourist areas in the park.  It balances wonderfully the meeting of appreciation for history and continued introduction of new visitors to the park. 

The S&NC line runs along the west bank of the Hudson River, providing gorgeous views for the passengers.

Sources:

• https://www.sncrr.com/
• http://www.northcreekdepotmuseum.com/about-us/
• https://www.premierrailshosting.com/saratoga-north-creek/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/04/Greg_Klingler_201251_Fall_300-e1430494716245.jpg
• http://www.northcreekdepotmuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/secondary-image8.jpg

Hoss’s Country Corner

When we visited Hoss’s Country Corner yesterday, most of us were probably just thinking about how many interesting touristy items were sold there. Some people were looking at the books about the Adirondacks (one of which was the Marchand book), while others were playing with the toy guns or buying souvenirs. However, one thing that I noticed was that there was a tree growing though the middle of the store. Somehow I didn’t notice it when I was inside the store, but when I went to get in the jitney to head back to campus, it was pretty clear that there was a tree sticking out of the roof.

 

This is a living tree with a false building constructed around the tree to allow it to continue living in the ground. The store has been around for 43 years and the tree has been living healthily that whole time.

Hoss’s is located in Long Lake, an area of the Adirondack Park known for the Great Camp style of architecture. Great Camp architecture tries to co-exist with nature, which is clearly what Hoss’s has accomplished. This style of architecture was created by William West Durant, who designed retreat camps for wealthy men with whom his father was trying to do business. This camp became Camp Pine Knot, which is a “model for Adirondack-style rustic architecture;” Durant wanted his buildings to blend in with nature, which led to his creation of the Great Camp style. Common aspects of the Great Camp style include huge fireplaces and chimneys, “rugged finish[es] and outstanding craftsmanship,” and the use of logs and native granite fieldstone for both the interior and exterior of the buildings. 

Hoss’s is considered a landmark of the Adirondacks, a site that every Adirondack traveler needs to see. The tree growing through the store just gives it that extra edge over other souvenir shops. They offer everything you could possibly imagine, and anything you could possibly need. Practically every review I found of Hoss’s gave it five stars and highly recommended people to go and check it out. I think we can all agree that Hoss’s is a one-of-a-kind store, and it was really cool to get to see it for ourselves.

http://www.adkmuseum.org/exhibits_and_events/online_exhibits/naturesart/great_camps/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adirondack_Architecture

http://visitadirondacks.com/area-adk/adirondack-great-camps-of-the-gilded-age

http://www.adirondackexperience.com/blog/2015/03/7-weird-adirondack-things