Blue Mountain Lake (New York)
Encyclopedia
Blue Mountain Lake is a 1280 acres (518 ha) lake in Hamilton County
in the central Adirondacks; Blue Mountain Lake is the eastern end of the Eckford chain
of lakes. The hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake
lies on its southeastern shore and the Adirondack Museum
looks down from high above its eastern shore. It has been a popular vacation destination since the mid-19th century.
, built the Prospect House, the most luxurious hotel then existing in the Adirondacks; it was the first hotel in the world to have electric light in every room.
Hamilton County, New York
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitution in 1787 and later the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant...
in the central Adirondacks; Blue Mountain Lake is the eastern end of the Eckford chain
Eckford chain
The Eckford Chain of lakes is composed of Blue Mountain Lake, Eagle Lake, and Utowana Lake in the Adirondacks in New York. The chain was named for Henry Eckford, a noted engineer and ship builder who made a survey of the lakes in 1811...
of lakes. The hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake
Blue Mountain Lake, New York
Blue Mountain Lake is a rural hamlet in the Town of Indian Lake of Hamilton County, New York located at the intersection of New York Routes 28 and 30 with a population of 146 according to the 2000 United States Census. Blue Mountain Lake also refers to the lake on the banks of which the village is...
lies on its southeastern shore and the Adirondack Museum
Adirondack Museum
The Adirondack Museum, located on NY-30 in the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake in Hamilton County, New York, is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Adirondacks...
looks down from high above its eastern shore. It has been a popular vacation destination since the mid-19th century.
History
The Blue Mountain Lake House was built in 1874 by John G. Holland. Soon after, an earlier resident, Miles Tyler Merwin, enlarged his log cabin on a spur of Blue Mountain overlooking the lake into the Blue Mountain house; the Log Hotel is presently on the grounds of the Adirondack Museum. Then, in 1881, Frederick C. Durant, cousin of William West DurantWilliam West Durant
William West Durant was a designer and developer of camps in the Adirondack Great Camp style, including Camp Uncas, Camp Pine Knot and Sagamore Camp which are National Historic Landmarks. He was the son of Thomas C. Durant, the financier and railroad promoter who was behind the Crédit Mobilier...
, built the Prospect House, the most luxurious hotel then existing in the Adirondacks; it was the first hotel in the world to have electric light in every room.