Lake George tourism — Nov. — Dec. 1890
The off season was setting in.
The Prospect House closed for the season, The Morning Star reported on Nov. 6, 1890.
“Manager Tuttle has moved his family to Glens Falls.”
“Nearly all of the steamers at Lake George have now gone into winter quarters,” The Morning Star reported on Nov. 10.
C.M. Smith was constructing “a handsome cottage” on Bolton Road for the Rev. Isaac Tuttle, The Morning Star reported on Nov. 15.
“The structure will cost about $5,000 and about $1,000 more will be expended on furnishings.”
C.J. Bates, with the hull almost finished, was making progress on a steamer he was constructing over the offseason for D.W. Sherman.
“The new craft will be sixty feet long and ten-and-a-half wide. It will be finished with compound engines, and it will be able to show a fast pair of heels,” The Morning Star reported on November 18. “The boat is being built at ‘Point Aux Pines.’”
It was not the only boat to be constructed over the off season.
“O.M. Smith will soon enlarge his boat shop, so as to be able to build a sixty-foot steam yacht, which will be placed on the lake next summer,” The Morning Star reported on Nov. 20. “This will be the third yacht to go on the lake next summer — the one just spoken of being built by C. J. Bates for D.W. Sherman, and one built by the Willard Hotel.”
The Morning Star reported on Dec. 6 that Mrs. Pelkey closed her boarding house for the winter.
Winter brough a unique experience to Lake George excursions.
“A party of fifteen couples are making arrangements for a sleigh ride to Lake George next Tuesday evening. They will have supper at Carpenter’s Hotel,” The Morning Star reported on Dec. 12.
Others traveled by wagon.
“A party composed of about 15 young couples have arranged for a straw ride to Lake George and return tonight. They will enjoy a supper and dance at the Arlington Hotel,” The Morning Star reported on Dec. 16.
“A party of young people drove to Lake George last evening and attended the Christmas entertainment and crazy supper given at the Court House by the ladies of the Lake George Methodist Episcopal Church,” The Morning Star reported on Dec. 31.
Hotel owners were getting in the ice supply for the next tourist season.
“The Grove House Hotel is filled with ice twelve inches thick, the first one to be filled in Kattskill Bay, as usual,” The East Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Dec. 25.
“The ice in Lake George at Caldwell is now twelve inches in thickness. The work of filling the Fort William Henry Hotel ice houses will be commenced next Monday,” The Morning Star reported on Dec. 31.
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