Dish up some interesting conversation

As we approach the season of gratitude and gathering, there's no better time to carve into some of the fascinating morsels that surround Saranac Lake and its captivating past (and present). These fun facts will undoubtedly serve up some interesting conversation around your Thanksgiving table this year! Nestled in what we all know and love as the "coldest spot in the country", this charming village has no shortage of trivia that will have your guests talking long after the turkey is carved and the pies are devoured.

Moody beginnings

Once upon a time, in the year 1819, a tale of pioneering spirit unfolded in the heart of Saranac Lake. It all began with Jacob Smith Moody, a farmer, trapper, and expert guide, who laid the foundation for what would become this enchanting Adirondack village. Moody's adventurous spirit led him to claim a plot of land that included the serene Moody Pond and stretched along the Saranac River. Initially born as a bustling lumber community, Saranac Lake swiftly evolved into a rendezvous for intrepid mountain guides, igniting a legacy of outdoor adventure that continues to thrive to this day. Moody's farming legacy continues to prosper in the area too, with sustainable, locally sourced products available year round, and local restaurants delighting diners with tasty and creative farm-to-table meals.

A stellar name

Where did the name Saranac come from? This beautiful place name, from the Saranac River (which flows through the village), is believed to be an Indigenous name (said to be of Haudenosaunee Confederacy origin), meaning "cluster of stars" or "clustered stars". Another name, Lake Flower (named after New York governor Roswell P. Flower) came into being in 1827 when the first dam was built across the Saranac River to power a sawmill, and creating the beautiful little lake in the center of the village.

A path of stars

What do Albert Einstein, the Philadelphia Eagles and the very first Adirondack 46er Herb Clark have in common? They all have ties to Saranac Lake and they're all celebrated on Saranac Lake's Walk of Fame! There are lots of other interesting and famous people that have made the list, each with an intriguing story. Some are Saranac Lake natives, like Leslie Hoffman and Garry Trudeau, and others migrated to Saranac Lake to visit, live or work, like Robert Louis Stevenson and Faye Dunaway. You can read more about each person who is honored as you visit each plaque on the Walk of Fame brochure!

Pro tip: A walk through the village, exploring the list of famous people who have been inducted into Saranac Lake's Walk of Fame, or a stroll along the Riverwalk is a great way to walk off some of those second helpings of Thanksgiving dinner or indulgences of an extra slice of pie!

Technically speaking, a first

The last total solar eclipse darkened the skies above Saranac Lake before the village was founded. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the skies of the Adirondacks, and Saranac Lake will be directly in the path of this rare celestial event that won't happen again for another 375 years! The entire village of Saranac Lake will experience totality (as the moon passes between the sun and the earth, completely blocking the face of the sun) for 3 minutes and 28.9 seconds. Technically, because Saranac Lake wasn't yet founded when the last occurrence of total eclipse event, the upcoming eclipse will be a "first" for the village!

Summering, wintering and authoring

Saranac Lake is a good place for writing, no matter the season! Author and humorist Mark Twain who wrote Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, summered in a camp on Lower Saranac Lake in 1901. The camp has been known forever after as the Mark Twain Camp. The writer Robert Louis Stevenson (the author of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Treasure Island) spent the winter of 1887 in a cottage in Saranac Lake, with hopes of recovering from tuberculosis. During that winter, he wrote The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter's Tale. The cottage still stands, and today serves as a museum dedicated to the author's life. The area continues to inspire and host writers, and maintains an active and thriving writing community. The Adirondack Center for Writing, whose mission is to inspire the love of writing, reading, and storytelling is based right here in Saranac Lake. Fostering and maintaining a lively and active community of readers and writers in the Adirondack region, this thriving organization offers a multitude of resources, workshops, and events. You'll find the work of local authors in numerous local shops and bookstores in the village!

Treasured local businesses

Over the years, Saranac Lake has been host to many wonderful business ventures, some thriving as long-lived icons in the area. Among the oldest businesses in the village are Hotel Saranac, built in 1927, and The Belvedere, a restaurant that was run by the Cavallo family for nearly 90 years, and recently sold to new owners, Chrissie Wais and John Levy. With a delightful mix of old and new businesses, Saranac Lake offers diverse dining options, unique shopping, and a wide range of accommodations, and we can't wait to see the future of the business scene as it unfolds in this special Adirondack village!

From Saranac Lake to Rockefeller Center

Each year, an impressive evergreen tree is selected, cut, and transported to midtown Manhattan, New York City to serve as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. This national tradition has occurred every year since 1933, drawing hundreds of thousands of passers-by. In 1969, a Saranac Lake balsam fir, standing 70 feet tall, was chosen to be displayed at Rockefeller Center. The tree was transported to Manhattan in mid-November, and illuminated on December 11 of that year, in the now-famous tree lighting ceremony. 

We hope these bits of interesting info about Saranac Lake will provide for some great conversation starters at your Thanksgiving gathering this year. Whether you're near or far from Saranac Lake this year, we wish you a healthy, safe and exceptionally happy holiday!