Lake Placid, New York
Encyclopedia
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains
in Essex County, New York
, United States
. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638.
The Village of Lake Placid is near the center of the Town of North Elba
, 52 miles (83.7 km) southwest of Plattsburgh
. Lake Placid
, along with nearby Saranac Lake
and Tupper Lake
, comprise what is known as the Tri-Lakes region. Lake Placid hosted the 1932
and 1980 Winter Olympics
.
Lake Placid was founded in the early 19th century to develop a mining operation based on iron ore discovered nearby. By 1840, the population of "North Elba" (four miles southeast of the present village near where the road to the Adirondack Loj crosses the Ausable River) consisted of six families. In 1845, Gerrit Smith
arrived in North Elba and not only bought a great deal of land around the village, but granted large tracts to former slaves, reforming the land law and reflecting his support of Abolitionism
.
The abolitionist John Brown
heard about Gerrit Smith's reforms, and left his anti-slavery activities in Kansas to buy 244 acre (0.98743384 km²) of land, which later became known as the "Freed Slave Utopian Experiment," Timbucto. Upon his execution in 1859, John Brown asked to be buried on his farm, which is preserved as the John Brown Farm State Historic Site
.
As leisure time increased in the late 19th century, Lake Placid was discovered by the rich and famous, who were drawn to the fashionable Lake Placid Club
. Melvil Dewey
, who invented the Dewey Decimal System, designed what was then called "Placid Park Club" in 1895 and inspired the village to change its name to Lake Placid. Dewey kept the club open through the winter in 1905, which aided the development of winter sports in the area (although nearby Saranac Lake had hosted an international winter sporting event as early as 1889). By 1921, the area could boast a ski jump, speed skating
venue and ski association, and in 1929, Dr. Godfrey Dewey, Melvil's son, was able to convince the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) that Lake Placid had the best winter sports facilities in the nation. The Lake Placid Club was the headquarters for the IOC for the 1932
and the 1980 Winter Olympics
in Lake Placid.
Lake Placid became an incorporated village in 1900.
and 1980
. In the United States, the village is especially remembered as the site of the 1980 USA–USSR hockey game the Miracle on Ice
, when a group of American college students and amateurs upset the heavily favored Soviet national ice hockey team
4–3 and two days later won the gold medal. The victory is often ranked as the greatest in American sports history. It is also the site of the Olympic Oval, where Eric Heiden
won his five Olympic gold medals.
Lake Placid also hosted the 1932 Winter Olympics
. During the 1932 games, the trails outside of the city served for the cross-country skiing
events and the cross-country skiing part of the Nordic combined
event. Along with St. Moritz
, Switzerland
, and Innsbruck, Austria, it is one of the three places to have twice hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Lake Placid was the first location in North America to host two Olympic games. Los Angeles
became the other when it hosted the Summer Olympic Games
for the second time in 1984.
Jack Shea
, a resident of the village, became the first person to win two gold medals when he doubled in speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics. He carried the Olympic torch through Lake Placid in 2002 shortly before his death. His grandson, Jimmy Shea
, competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City, Utah
in his honor, winning gold in the Skeleton
.
On Nov. 20, 1995, two-time Olympic Gold medalist Russian figure skater Sergei Grinkov
collapsed and died from a massive heart attack while he and his wife were practicing in Lake Placid for their upcoming performance in the 1995–1996 Stars on Ice
tour.
During the 1980 Olympics, Lake Placid Middle/High School was issued an alcohol license. The school served as a private bar during the Olympics. It is the only high school in the United States to be issued an alcohol license.
(4867 ft (1,483.5 m)), in nearby Wilmington
about 13 miles (21 km) from Lake Placid, offers skiing, hiking, gondola rides, and mountain biking, and is the only one of the High Peaks that can be reached via an auto road. The area has one of only sixteen bobsled
runs in the western hemisphere, and is one of the few places in the contiguous United States which offers dogsled and sleigh rides.
In 2010, U.S. News & World Report
rated Lake Placid as one of the "6 Forgotten Vacation Spots" in North America.
Many people use Lake Placid as a base from which to climb the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondack Mountains
; those who complete these climbs may join the Adirondack 46ers.
Lake Placid built its first golf course in 1898, one of the first in the United States, and has more golf courses than any other region in the Adirondacks. Many of its courses were designed by well-known golf course architects, such as John Van Kleek, Seymour Dunn, Alexander H. Findlay, and Alister MacKenzie. The geographic features of the Adirondacks were considered reminiscent of the Scottish landscape in which the game was invented, and thus a fitting canvas for original play, or "mountain golf."
Lake Placid is near the West Branch of the Ausable River, a well-known stretch of water for fly fishing. More than six miles (10 km) of the West Branch is year-round catch-and-release, artificial-lures-only water.
Lake Placid is home to five private schools:
in Saranac Lake
, 16 miles (26 km) from the village. Lake Placid Airport
, two miles south of the village, does not offer scheduled flights.
Other relatively nearby airports include Albany International Airport
and Burlington International Airport
. Lake Placid is also served by an Amtrak
Thruway Motorcoach
connection through Westport
via limousine service. In addition, Lake Placid is served by Adirondack Trailways of the Trailways Transportation System
.
Lake Placid is not located on any interstate highway
. It can be reached from Interstate 87
to the east via New York State Route 73
, New York State Route 86
, and New York State Route 9N
. County Roads 21, 31 and 35 also serve the community.
Lake Placid is also the Northern Terminus of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad
over former New York Central and Delaware & Hudson Trackage. There are currently plans to restore service to Utica, New York
, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) is land, and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (9.87%) is water.
The village is located near the south end of Lake Placid lake. More immediate to the village is Mirror Lake, which lies between the village and Lake Placid.
was 1913.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,765 housing units at an average density of 1280.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.75% White, 0.68% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.57% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 1,303 households, of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.1% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.6% were non-families. 45.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02, and the average family size was 2.93.
The population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $28,239, and the median income for a family was $43,042. Males had a median income of $26,585 versus $21,750 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $18,507. About 8.5% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
in Essex County, New York
Essex County, New York
Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638.
The Village of Lake Placid is near the center of the Town of North Elba
North Elba, New York
North Elba is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the island of Elba.North Elba is on the western edge of the county...
, 52 miles (83.7 km) southwest of Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...
. Lake Placid
Lake Placid (New York)
The body of water called Lake Placid is in the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York in the USA. The lake is approximately , and has an average depth of about . It is located in the towns of North Elba and St...
, along with nearby Saranac Lake
Saranac Lake, New York
Saranac Lake is a village located in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,406. The village is named after Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, which are nearby....
and Tupper Lake
Tupper Lake (village), New York
Tupper Lake is a village in Franklin County, New York. The population was 3,935 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from a nearby lake, which, in turn, is the name of a surveyor who drowned there while fishing....
, comprise what is known as the Tri-Lakes region. Lake Placid hosted the 1932
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
and 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
.
Founding
Gerrit Smith
Gerrit Smith was a leading United States social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist...
arrived in North Elba and not only bought a great deal of land around the village, but granted large tracts to former slaves, reforming the land law and reflecting his support of Abolitionism
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
.
The abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
heard about Gerrit Smith's reforms, and left his anti-slavery activities in Kansas to buy 244 acre (0.98743384 km²) of land, which later became known as the "Freed Slave Utopian Experiment," Timbucto. Upon his execution in 1859, John Brown asked to be buried on his farm, which is preserved as the John Brown Farm State Historic Site
John Brown Farm and Gravesite
The John Brown Farm and Gravesite was the home and is the final resting place of abolitionist John Brown.It is located on John Brown Road in North Elba near Lake Placid, New York, where John Brown moved in 1849 to lead freed slaves in farming...
.
As leisure time increased in the late 19th century, Lake Placid was discovered by the rich and famous, who were drawn to the fashionable Lake Placid Club
Lake Placid Club
The Lake Placid Club was a social and recreation club founded 1895 in Lake Placid, New York by Melvil Dewey, and intended as a place where educators might find health, strength and inspiration at modest cost...
. Melvil Dewey
Melvil Dewey
Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey was an American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, and a founder of the Lake Placid Club....
, who invented the Dewey Decimal System, designed what was then called "Placid Park Club" in 1895 and inspired the village to change its name to Lake Placid. Dewey kept the club open through the winter in 1905, which aided the development of winter sports in the area (although nearby Saranac Lake had hosted an international winter sporting event as early as 1889). By 1921, the area could boast a ski jump, speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
venue and ski association, and in 1929, Dr. Godfrey Dewey, Melvil's son, was able to convince the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) that Lake Placid had the best winter sports facilities in the nation. The Lake Placid Club was the headquarters for the IOC for the 1932
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
and the 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
in Lake Placid.
Lake Placid became an incorporated village in 1900.
Olympic Games
Lake Placid is best known as the two-time site of the Winter Olympics, in 19321932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
and 1980
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
. In the United States, the village is especially remembered as the site of the 1980 USA–USSR hockey game the Miracle on Ice
Miracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
, when a group of American college students and amateurs upset the heavily favored Soviet national ice hockey team
Soviet national ice hockey team
The Soviet national ice hockey team , was the national hockey team of the Soviet Union. The Soviets were the most dominant team of all time in international play. The team won nearly every world championship and Olympic tournament between 1954 and 1991 held by the International Ice Hockey Federation...
4–3 and two days later won the gold medal. The victory is often ranked as the greatest in American sports history. It is also the site of the Olympic Oval, where Eric Heiden
Eric Heiden
Eric Arthur Heiden, M.D. is an American former long track speed skater and road cyclist who won all the men's speed skating races, and thus an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York,...
won his five Olympic gold medals.
Lake Placid also hosted the 1932 Winter Olympics
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
. During the 1932 games, the trails outside of the city served for the cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing at the 1932 Winter Olympics
At the 1932 Winter Olympics, two cross country skiing events were contested. The 18 km competition was held on Wednesday, February 10, 1932 while the 50 km event was held on Saturday, February 13, 1932.-Medal summary:...
events and the cross-country skiing part of the Nordic combined
Nordic combined at the 1932 Winter Olympics
At the 1932 Winter Olympics one individual Nordic combined event was contested. It was held on Wednesday, February 10, 1932 and on Thursday, February 11, 1932 . Unlike today the ski jump was the last event held...
event. Along with St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and Innsbruck, Austria, it is one of the three places to have twice hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Lake Placid was the first location in North America to host two Olympic games. Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
became the other when it hosted the Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
for the second time in 1984.
Jack Shea
Jack Shea
John Amos Shea , better known as Jack Shea or The Chief, was an American double-Gold medalist in speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics. He was the first American to win two Gold medals at one Winter Olympics edition, and was the patriarch of the first family with three generations of Winter...
, a resident of the village, became the first person to win two gold medals when he doubled in speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics. He carried the Olympic torch through Lake Placid in 2002 shortly before his death. His grandson, Jimmy Shea
Jimmy Shea
James Edmound Shea, Jr. is a retired American skeleton racer who won the Gold medal in dramatic fashion at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Shea also was chosen by fellow athletes to recite the Athlete's Oath during the Opening Ceremonies and along with his father, Jim Shea Sr., passed...
, competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
in his honor, winning gold in the Skeleton
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
.
On Nov. 20, 1995, two-time Olympic Gold medalist Russian figure skater Sergei Grinkov
Sergei Grinkov
Sergei Mikhailovich Grinkov was a Russian pair skater. Together with partner Ekaterina Gordeeva, he was the 1988 and 1994 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion.-Biography:...
collapsed and died from a massive heart attack while he and his wife were practicing in Lake Placid for their upcoming performance in the 1995–1996 Stars on Ice
Stars on Ice
Stars on Ice is a touring figure skating show produced by IMG. It was originally conceived in 1986 as a vehicle for IMG client Scott Hamilton, who had been released from his contract with Ice Capades, after being told that male skaters do not sell tickets...
tour.
During the 1980 Olympics, Lake Placid Middle/High School was issued an alcohol license. The school served as a private bar during the Olympics. It is the only high school in the United States to be issued an alcohol license.
Recreational opportunities
Lake Placid is well known among winter-sports enthusiasts for its skiing, both Alpine and Nordic. Whiteface MountainWhiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain is the fifth-highest mountain in New York State, and one of the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. Set apart from most of the other High Peaks, the summit offers a 360-degree view featuring the Adirondacks and perhaps on a clear day glimpses of Vermont and even Canada. The...
(4867 ft (1,483.5 m)), in nearby Wilmington
Wilmington, New York
Wilmington is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Wilmington, Delaware.The Town of Wilmington is on the county's north border and is southwest of Plattsburgh...
about 13 miles (21 km) from Lake Placid, offers skiing, hiking, gondola rides, and mountain biking, and is the only one of the High Peaks that can be reached via an auto road. The area has one of only sixteen bobsled
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
runs in the western hemisphere, and is one of the few places in the contiguous United States which offers dogsled and sleigh rides.
In 2010, U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
rated Lake Placid as one of the "6 Forgotten Vacation Spots" in North America.
Many people use Lake Placid as a base from which to climb the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
; those who complete these climbs may join the Adirondack 46ers.
Lake Placid built its first golf course in 1898, one of the first in the United States, and has more golf courses than any other region in the Adirondacks. Many of its courses were designed by well-known golf course architects, such as John Van Kleek, Seymour Dunn, Alexander H. Findlay, and Alister MacKenzie. The geographic features of the Adirondacks were considered reminiscent of the Scottish landscape in which the game was invented, and thus a fitting canvas for original play, or "mountain golf."
Lake Placid is near the West Branch of the Ausable River, a well-known stretch of water for fly fishing. More than six miles (10 km) of the West Branch is year-round catch-and-release, artificial-lures-only water.
Events
- Since 1999 it has been a site for the annual Ironman TriathlonIronman TriathlonAn Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
, the second oldest Ironman in North America and one of only eight official Ironman Triathlons to be held in the continental U.S. - ESPN's Great Outdoor Games were inaugurated here in July 2000; they were held in Lake Placid again the following year, but moved to Madison, Wisconsin, in 2002 and were eventually discontinued.
- The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows have been held at the North Elba Showgrounds for the past 41 years.
- Multiple IWPA (International Weight Pull Association) snow Weight pullingWeight pullingWeight pulling is a dog sport involving a dog pulling a cart or sled loaded with weight a short distance across dirt/gravel, grass, carpet, or snow. It is a modern adaptation of freighting, in which dogs were used as freight animals to move cargo. Many breeds participate in this sport, with dogs...
events are held at the North Elba Showgrounds yearly. - Nearby Saranac Lake, New YorkSaranac Lake, New YorkSaranac Lake is a village located in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,406. The village is named after Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, which are nearby....
hosts an Annual Winter Carnival, one of the oldest Winter Carnivals in the country, complete with an Ice Palace. - Lake Placid is also home to the Lake Placid Sinfonietta, a professional summer chamber orchestra that has existed since 1917 and offers concerts lakeside.
- The Winter Empire State GamesEmpire State GamesThe Empire State Games are a set of annual Olympic-style competitions for amateur athletes from the state of New York, encompassing several divisions and allowing athletes of all ages to compete. It was a member of the National Congress of State Games...
are held in Lake Placid every February. - The Lake Placid ice dance competition is held every year in July or August.
Education
- Post-Secondary Education
- North Country Community CollegeNorth Country Community CollegeNorth Country Community College, founded in 1967, is a community college of the State University of New York located in Upstate New York. The main campus is in Saranac Lake, New York, and serves Franklin and Essex Counties; enrollment is approximately 2300 students. It employs 143 permanent and 300...
- North Country Community College
- Primary & Secondary Education
- In Lake Placid, public education is administered by the Lake Placid Central School District.
Lake Placid is home to five private schools:
- Mountain Lake Academy
- National Sports AcademyNational Sports Academy (Lake Placid, New York)National Sports Academy is a private preparatory school for winter-sport athletes in Lake Placid, New York, United States.-History:The school began in 1977 as Mountain House, a winter tutorial program for student-athletes...
- North Country SchoolNorth Country SchoolNorth Country School was founded in 1938. The school is a private co-educational boarding school for children in grades four to nine, and includes a farm and garden. North Country School is located amongst of forest and grassy meadows above Round Lake in the Adirondack mountains of Lake Placid,...
- Northwood School
- St. Agnes SchoolSt. Agnes SchoolSt. Agnes School is a school in Old Jefferson. It is a elementary school and a middle school founded in 1941. The school holds children from grades Pre-K 3 through 8th grade. The school is the Home of the Crusaders.-Mission:"Our mission at St...
Transportation
Lake Placid is served by nearby Adirondack Regional AirportAdirondack Regional Airport
Adirondack Regional Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Saranac Lake, in Franklin County, New York, United States. The airport is owned by the Town of Harrietstown...
in Saranac Lake
Saranac Lake, New York
Saranac Lake is a village located in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,406. The village is named after Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, which are nearby....
, 16 miles (26 km) from the village. Lake Placid Airport
Lake Placid Airport
Lake Placid Airport is a public use airport located one nautical mile southeast of the central business district of Lake Placid, a village in the Town of North Elba, Essex County, New York, United States...
, two miles south of the village, does not offer scheduled flights.
Other relatively nearby airports include Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
and Burlington International Airport
Burlington International Airport
Burlington International Airport is a joint-use public and military airport in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. It is owned by the City of Burlington...
. Lake Placid is also served by an Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Thruway Motorcoach
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach
Thruway Motorcoach is Amtrak's system of Amtrak-owned intercity coaches, locally contracted transit buses, through-ticketed local bus routes and taxi services to connect Amtrak train stations to areas not served by its railroads...
connection through Westport
Westport, New York
Westport is a town in Essex County, New York, United States overlooking Lake Champlain. The population was 1,362 at the 2000 census.The Town of Westport is on the eastern border of the county and is south of Plattsburgh and south of Montreal. Westport is inside the Adirondack Park.Westport is...
via limousine service. In addition, Lake Placid is served by Adirondack Trailways of the Trailways Transportation System
Trailways Transportation System
The Trailways Transportation System is an American group of 80 independent bus companies that have entered into a franchising agreement. The company is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia.- History :...
.
Lake Placid is not located on any interstate highway
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
. It can be reached from Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
to the east via New York State Route 73
New York State Route 73
New York State Route 73 is a state highway located entirely within Essex County, New York, United States. The highway begins at an intersection with NY 86 in the village of Lake Placid and ends at a junction with U.S. Route 9 north of the hamlet of Underwood in the extreme...
, New York State Route 86
New York State Route 86
New York State Route 86 is a long state highway located within Adirondack Park in northern New York, United States, linking Franklin County to Essex County. The western terminus of the route is at NY 30 in the hamlet of Paul Smiths. The eastern terminus is at NY 9N in Jay...
, and New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N is a north–south state highway in northeastern New York, United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 , NY 29, and NY 50 in the city of Saratoga Springs to a junction with US 9 and NY 22 in the Clinton County village of...
. County Roads 21, 31 and 35 also serve the community.
Lake Placid is also the Northern Terminus of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad
Adirondack Scenic Railroad
The Adirondack Scenic Railroad is a tourist railway located in Adirondack Park that runs during the summer months from Utica to Thendara, and from Saranac Lake to Lake Placid...
over former New York Central and Delaware & Hudson Trackage. There are currently plans to restore service to Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) is land, and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (9.87%) is water.
The village is located near the south end of Lake Placid lake. More immediate to the village is Mirror Lake, which lies between the village and Lake Placid.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,638 people, 1,303 households, and 604 families residing in the village. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1913.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,765 housing units at an average density of 1280.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.75% White, 0.68% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.57% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 1,303 households, of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.1% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.6% were non-families. 45.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02, and the average family size was 2.93.
The population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $28,239, and the median income for a family was $43,042. Males had a median income of $26,585 versus $21,750 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $18,507. About 8.5% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.