LG Offseason— November 1894

It was a noteworthy day in Lake George.

“The bell for the new Union School at Lake George arrived yesterday and will be placed in position today under the direction of G. F. Bryant, trustee. The bell is a gift of George H. Cranmer,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on Nov. 9, 1894. “It was manufactured by the Meneely Bell Company of West Troy, is handsomely finished and weighs 350 pounds.”

In other November 1894 Lake George offseason news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• A devastating fire destroyed a landmark building.

“The Lake George Yacht Club’s building, situated on the west, shore of Basin Bay, about two miles south of Bolton Landing, was burned to the ground at an early hour yesterday morning,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on Nov. 7, 1894. “The fire is supposed to have been of an incendiary origin. The building was a handsome two-story structure and was erected four years ago at a cost of about $8,500 (the equivalent of $288,081 in 2024 dollars).”

• “The yacht Clio, which was taken to New York last spring, is being transported overland by wagon from the canal to Lake George,” The Morning Star reported on Nov. 1, 1894. “Richard Fielding will navigate the craft over the Plank Road to the lake.”
• “(Glens Falls) Village President H. H. Bush yesterday purchased of E. N. Freeman the handsome steam yacht Walter Belle, which has been used for excursion parties on Lake George for the past two seasons,” The Morning Star reported on Nov. 13. “The boat was built by Dr. J. T. Barnes and will carry forty passengers comfortably.”
• “Uncle George Brown (retired long-time hotel operator) and John Oatman have a meat market established in the old Copeland building, where they will keep oysters and the choicest cuts of meat,” the Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Nov. 19.

“At Uncle George Brown’s meat and oyster market in the Copeland Grocery, there is room in the rear in which Chashier Oatman has his quarters and welcomes his friends. Fritz, the chowder maker, does the carving and shucks the oysters,” the Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Nov. 21.

• “Now and then some chronic subject makes the remark that Lake George is at a standstill.” the Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Nov. 21. “It may appear so to such person, but there are many additions being made to the numerous resorts on the lake.”

Click here to read the most recent previous Lake George tourism history post.