LG tourism — August 1889

Fireworks “brilliantly illuminated” the night sky at “Angel’s Camp” on Ranger’s Island on Lake George on Aug. 27, 1889 to celebrate a visit from Gov. David Hill,

“A large number of Japanese lanterns were displayed and colored fires were burned,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported two days later.

The Hundred Island House, where the governor was lodging, also was illuminated.

Gov. Hill stopped at Lake George on his way back to Albany from visiting with former President Grover Cleveland at Upper Saranac, where Cleveland and his wife were vacationing for a few weeks.

Gov. Hill left The Hundred Island House the afternoon of Aug. 28, traveling on the steamer Gertrude to Caldwell, where he took the 5:25 p.m. train to Albany.

Artist Robert W. Harrington was set to speak at the Lectorium of the Lake George Assembly grounds on Aug.4.

“The chat will be interspersed with a cornet solo and organ obligato,” The Morning Star reported on Aug. 1.

Guests at the Grove House were set to perform the operetta “Il Jacobs” on Nov.8 to benefit the Ladies Shelter of New York City.

Anna Piersons and Alice Van Alstyne were set to hold a progressive euchre party Aug.5 at The Grove House.

Hague residents were practicing their smiles.

“Mr. Nickleson, artist, of Ticonderoga, is expected be here this week to reamin a month, and we expect all the good looking people will have their pictures taken,” the Hague correspondent to The Morning Star reported on Aug. 8.

Hague preachers had an extra reason to smile.

“Mr. Chamberlain of Sabbath Day Point gave all the clergy of this and adjoining towns a free ride through the lake yesterday.”

Never estimate the length of a hike based on first impressions.

“About twenty-five ladies and gentlemen from the Grove House started for the mountain on Tuesday morning with their Alpine sticks, intending to get back in time for dinner at one o’clock,” The Morning Star reported on Aug. 8. “They went to the top and returned and took a five o’clock dinner.”

Hotels around the Lake George were full, and then some.

“The hotels and boarding houses in Kattskill Bay are beginning to make up cots in the parlors for the accommodation of their guests,” The Morning Star reported on Aug.12.

The Trout Pavilion had 135 guests and was “lodging out” others at nearby hotels.

On Aug, 13, The Morning Star reported that The Sagamore hotel at Bolton Landing had 300 guests, The Marion House about the same, and the Grove House 61 guests.

Lake George was the next stop for this party of canoeists.

“A party of canoeists, six in number, students from Stevens Institute of Technology, New York, who have been cruising for the past three weeks among the Thousand Islands, stopped at Plattsburgh Tuesday afternoon on their way to Lake George,” The Morning Star reported on Aug. 15.

The group planned to join other college friends to camp for a month on Uncas Island.

“A dainty little King Charles spaniel named Jack accompanied the party.”

Lake George tourism was expanding its geographic reach.

“One notable feature of this season is the large number of people from the sunshine states, more than have been to the lake on any previous summer,” The Morning Star reported on Aug.21.

A pick-up baseball team from the Crosbyside hotel defeated a team from Katskill Bay 11–5, The Morning Star reported on Aug. 23.

The Marion House closed for the season on Aug. 30.

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