The Upper Saranac Lake Association Mailboat February 2016 Camp Canaras – Upper Saranac Lake, New York Larry Koch for the YMCA around 1905 called Ne-Pah-Win. It is thought he carried the name to his personal camp on Upper Saranac Lake. Ne-Pah-Win is a native term for “sleeping lake.” The camp’s layout is typical of the era. The current Ne-Pah-Win lodge contains both a great room and a dining area with a kitchen to the rear. Behind are outbuildings for ice, wood, and servants’ quarters. The current Harding Cottage, probably the first camp owner’s cabin, includes a small parlor, bedroom and dressing room. Story has it that President Warren G. Harding overnighted here during a visit to Saranac Lake in 1922. The current Jackson Lodge was constructed at a later date, probably by Dodge as new owner’s cot- tage. Jackson was probably designed by Dodge’s brother in law Wainwright Parish in the alpine style common of the later 19-teens. Parish and Schroeder was a well-known New York architectural St. Lawrence University St. Lawrence The Main Lodge firm at the time. Dodge was a competitive sailor (his sailing partner Sidney Situated on the west shore of the north basin of Upper Saranac Colgate lived a few camps away), so his boat house is a dry one for Lake sits Camp Canaras, a modern use conference center lives in storing sailing gear and includes a viewing gazebo on top. Around the time warp of camps from 100 years ago. Camp Canaras has 1920, Dodge bought nearby Green Bay Camp and Camp Ne-Paw- been Saint Lawrence University’s conference and alumni retreat Win was sold to Robert Bentley, owner of Camp Canaras next door. for the past 50 years; however it was not always that way. It was a Camp Canaras (Saranac reversed) was built in 1913 by Robert playground for the rich and famous during the first 50 years of the Bentley of Youngstown, Ohio. He was president of the Youngstown 20th century. Sheet and Tube Company and the Ohio Carbon Limestone Canaras, one of the largest camps in the north basin, consists Company. of 1700+ feet of waterfront, 27 acres of land and 28 buildings, all Bentley held a huge camp grand opening party here in July 1913, but two built before the Great Depression. There are two wet boat featuring banquets, water activities and fireworks from the water- houses, two dry boat houses, 14 sleeping cabins, 4 kitchens and 6 front tea house that still exists today. While Bentley was from Ohio, service buildings, plus the caretaker’s camp. most of his guests were from New York, keeping him connected There are three distinct original camps that make up current camp Canaras. The oldest camp, known as Ne-Pah-Win, was devel- oped about 1898. The second was built in 1913 and originated the name Canaras. The third was developed in 1915 and was called Camp Caduceus. Camp Ne-Pah-Win was developed in 1898 by Dr. Samuel W. Lambert. Starting in the 1880s, Dr. Lambert redeveloped a hospi- tal for women in New York City and, with financial help from J.P. Morgan, started the Columbia Teaching Hospital – what became Columbia Medical Center. By 1905, Cleveland H. Dodge, a national figure during the Woodrow Wilson administration, took over the camp. Dodge and Wilson were classmates at Princeton. Dodge managed Wilson’s 1912 and 1916 presidential campaigns. He was president of the National YMCA, and on the boards of the American Red Cross, Princeton University, Ansonia Brass and several railroads. Lastly, Dodge was president of mining company Phelps Dodge. University St. Lawrence Dodge purchased a kids camp in Bradford County, Pennsylvania Harding Cabin Continued on page 5 Visit www.uppersaranac.com The USLA Mailboat February 2016 UPPER SARANAC LAKE ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. Box 872 Saranac Lake, NY 12983 President’s Letter www.uppersaranac.com The USLA Mailboat Lynne Perry, Editor Susan Hearn Harry Wirtz, Layout/Design I am grateful to Nancy Howard for summarizing the USLA activities during her tenure as President of the association. We are grateful for her stewardship. BOARD OF DIRECTORS As she closes, she identifies a number of issues that will be considered in 2016, which OFFICERS include a decision with regard to the fireboat, discussion of raising the annual membership President, Susan Hearn (359-8136) dues and perhaps reconfiguring the zones. In addition, we hope to have a quorum so we Vice President, Jon Landsberg (891-6885) can approve the proposed by-laws changes and elect officers and directors for the USLA (yes, it is an election year!). Secretary, Jeff Dickson (534-2731) Dates for the meetings of the membership are identified so you can mark your calendars Treasurer, Jay Kapolka (359-7298) now. We are proposing changing the August meeting from a morning meeting to a late COMMITTEE CHAIRS afternoon event that can be combined with a social/cultural event. Maybe it will be easier Communications: Sara Sheldon (637-4304) to increase attendance in the late afternoon, or when we serve wine; who knows? Cultural, Sally Ward (359-7940) I hope you are enjoying your “off season,” wherever you are. I am in mid-Michigan and it Environmental, Steven Maikowski (359-3162) has been a very mild winter so far; haven’t even been able to get the cross country skis out. The limited snowfall was quickly covered by a layer of ice, and I am getting too old to fall. Government Affairs: Cindy Rosenwald (891-0818) Stay well! Nominating: Charles Svenson (891-9256) Susan Hearn Membership: Dean Butts (891-8433) Safety: Michelle Brown Garcia (891-3905) ZONE CHAIRS Zone 1 Bob Tate (891-1269) Calendar Zone 2 Mary Ann Randall (891-0430) Zone 3 Bo Dixon (891-0688) May 28, 2016 USLA Board Meeting Zone 4 Cindy Rosenwald (891-0818) July 9, 2016 USLA Membership Meeting Zone 5 Dick Gunthert (891-4138) July 11–13, 2016 USLA Boating Course 9 am – 12 noon each day Zone 6 Cheryl Joyce (891-4344) Zone 7 Mary Jane Staufenberg (891-1428) August 8–10, 2016 USLA Boating Course 9 am – 12 noon each day Zone 8 Jane Oravec (891-5992) August 13, 2016 USLA Membership Annual Meeting Zone 9 Nancy Howard (359-9177) Zone 10 Susan O’Brien (359-2069) August 27, 2016 USLA Board Meeting Zone 11 Bill Mansfield (359-2217) Zone 12 Airlie Lennon (359-7417) MEMBER AT LARGE Tom Swayne (359-7679) Let’s stay in touch! Mike Bonheim (891-8074) Please send any changes of address, telephone or email address to [email protected] HONORARY DIRECTOR If you do not have email, please send updates to USLA, P.O. Box 872, Saranac Lake, NY Bruce Holran (891-8447) 12983. USL SCHOLARSHIP FUND, INC. President: Bruce Holran (891-8447) Membership Committee DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR Dean Butts, Chair Sara Sheldon (637-4304) [email protected] We ended 2015 with 544 paid members compared to 556 at the end of 2014. Thanks Photo of the mailboat, “Saranac”, courtesy of the to all who supported USLA last year...the names were included in the October issue of Adirondack Collection, Saranac Lake Free Library Mailboat. © 2015 USLA Now is the time to consider renewing your membership for 2016. Membership Dues Statements will be mailed in April, but you can renew EARLY online through our website: www.uppersaranac.com and clicking on “Membership”. In addition to clearing this item off your “to do” list, you will be saving USLA the expense of printing and postage. Good things are happening; join and be part of it. As always, USLA appreciates your support. Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/UpperSaranac 2 Visit www.uppersaranac.com The USLA Mailboat February 2016 Annual Report 2015 President’s Thumbnail Sketch August 2014-August 2015 “It’s hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you We kept abreast of the tedium of the Fireboat repair issues up look funny on a horse.”—Adlai E. Stevenson to and including storage in the fall and activity for naught in the I was barely a minute on the job in August when indeed I did spring and summer. We replaced the failed original webcam. We feel funny-looking as an urgent notice from DEC announced an stabilized the USLA Scholarship Fund within the USLA mission imminent early September closing of Back Bay boat launch. We framework for a student who intends to focus on environmental needed to alert our 500+ membership pronto. Thankfully, with our studies. Lake Manager’s ready energies and Communications Chair’s ready In accordance with current USLA Bylaws, a Task Force was expertise, we visited all alternate USL boat launch options and noti- appointed to complete a five years review. Highlights: fied USLA membership by posting cards to all members and an • Reviewed quorum status ad infinitum—Task Force Chair, urgent e-mailboat. Many zone chairs also cooperated by contacting Airlie Lennon, presented it at the August annual meeting— members most likely to still have boats afloat. only to not have a quorum for the vote “Surround yourself with great people; delegate • Recommended USLA mission be scaled to best reflect that of authority; get out of the way.” Ronald Reagan USLA founding charter members • Noted for the record USLA is incorporated under Section 1120 For this sketch the “we” refers to the “great people” of the USLA (Residential Real Estate Association) of New York State corpo- Board. We begin with the filling of board vacancies. We welcomed ration law, and falls under Section 501C(4) of the Federal Tax three enthusiastic new board members: Zone Chairs, Mary Ann Code.