Tahawus, New York
Encyclopedia
Tahawus was a village in the Town of Newcomb
, Essex County
, New York
, USA. It is now a ghost town
situated in Adirondack Park. Tahawus is located in Essex County
within the unpopulated northern area designated to the town of Newcomb
. Tahawus was the site of major mining and iron smelting operations in the 19th century. Although standing as recently as 2005, the last mining facilities have since been demolished and removed (with the exception of some minor garages and outbuildings).
It was in Tahawus in 1901 that Vice President Theodore Roosevelt
learned President William McKinley
was dying.
of the Adirondack Iron Works. Iron deposits were first found here in 1826 by Archibald McIntyre
and David Henderson. The iron was extracted at what was known as the Upper Works with moderate success between 1827 and 1857. In 1857, after a struggle, the Adirondack Iron Works surrendered to the remoteness of the wilderness and Adirondac became known as the "deserted village". Impurities of titanium dioxide
were present in the iron, which made it difficult for equipment of that era to properly process the ore. A local flood and a nationwide economic crisis were also factors in the closure of the Upper Works. According to the New York State Adirondack Park Agency:
The first bank in the Adirondack Mountains opened in the hamlet of Adirondac. The mine and related works operated from 1827 to 1857, after which residents abandoned the community. The enterprise closed due in part to difficulties in extracting an unknown impurity from the local ore. Inadequate roads and the cancellation of plans for a railroad extension also contributed to the failure.
was visiting Tahawus in 1901 during the final days of President William McKinley
's presidency. Roosevelt had been vacationing in Vermont, but quickly left for Buffalo, New York
after learning that President William McKinley
had recently been shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz
. Hearing of the President's good prognosis and expecting a quick recovery, Roosevelt embarked on a hiking trip up Mount Marcy from Adirondack, where his family was staying. Three hours into the trip, a mounted park ranger alerted him that McKinley was in critical condition. On Roosevelt's return to Buffalo, he learned of the President's death and took the oath of office.
that had had been partly responsible for the previous mine's commercial failure. In 1940 National Lead Industries reopened the mines along Sanford Lake. This location, known as the Lower Works, was about a mile south of the original operation. A new community was established in 1943 for the mine workers which was called Tahawus. By 1945, Tahawus had 84 buildings. Some of the buildings left over at Adirondac were also used. Forty million tons of titanium
were extracted at the National Lead Industries' mines before operations ceased in 1989. By the time the second mining operation closed in 1989 it had produced 40 million tons of titanium
.
took an interest in the property for conservation purposes because of its interest in the Hudson River
watershed. Joe Martens, president of the Institute, describes the Tahawus tract as "absolutely breathtaking." He continues, "Its defining natural features include rugged mountains, crystal clear, glacially carved lakes, and the headwaters of the Hudson River." Four years after the 1989 mine closure the Open Space Institute opened purchase negotiations, which concluded in 2003 as a public-private partnership with the New York Adirondack Park Agency purchasing the 10000 acres (40.5 km²) Tahawus tract in August 2003 for US$8.5 million and the OSI sharing management responsibilities.
which purchased the area in August 2003. Also, as part of a grant given for area cleanup and historic preservation, the old MacNaughton Cottage (built in 1845, one of the approximately ten remaining buildings) underwent restoration. This was the house that Vice President Theodore Roosevelt
stayed in during his hike to Mount Marcy
when he received news of President William McKinley
being close to death after being shot in Buffalo, New York
on September 6, 1901. No buildings are known to remain at the latter community of Tahawus along Sanford Lake, including the mines.
Located within the Tahawus tract is Henderson Lake, a 450 acres (1.8 km²) lake. Tahawus also contains Mount Adams
and several minor Adirondack peaks. According to the Adirondack Park Agency, wildlife in tract include "bears, deer, loons, coyotes, foxes...and the elusive Pine Marten
".
. There is also only one county-maintained highway, Essex County Route 25, better known as Tahawus Road. CR 25 brings drivers northward to Henderson Lake.
Newcomb, New York
Newcomb is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census.The Town of Newcomb is at the west border of the county. It is southwest of Plattsburgh, southwest of Burlington, VT, northeast of Utica, NY, north-northeast of Albany, NY, and ...
, Essex County
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...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA. It is now a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
situated in Adirondack Park. Tahawus is located in Essex County
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...
within the unpopulated northern area designated to the town of Newcomb
Newcomb, New York
Newcomb is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census.The Town of Newcomb is at the west border of the county. It is southwest of Plattsburgh, southwest of Burlington, VT, northeast of Utica, NY, north-northeast of Albany, NY, and ...
. Tahawus was the site of major mining and iron smelting operations in the 19th century. Although standing as recently as 2005, the last mining facilities have since been demolished and removed (with the exception of some minor garages and outbuildings).
It was in Tahawus in 1901 that Vice President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
learned President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
was dying.
Mining
During the nineteenth century the area was mined for iron ore. Adirondack, New York was a company townCompany town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
of the Adirondack Iron Works. Iron deposits were first found here in 1826 by Archibald McIntyre
Archibald McIntyre
Archibald McIntyre was an American merchant and politician.-Life:...
and David Henderson. The iron was extracted at what was known as the Upper Works with moderate success between 1827 and 1857. In 1857, after a struggle, the Adirondack Iron Works surrendered to the remoteness of the wilderness and Adirondac became known as the "deserted village". Impurities of titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula . When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6, or CI 77891. Generally it comes in two different forms, rutile and anatase. It has a wide range of...
were present in the iron, which made it difficult for equipment of that era to properly process the ore. A local flood and a nationwide economic crisis were also factors in the closure of the Upper Works. According to the New York State Adirondack Park Agency:
Throughout its existence, the Adirondack Iron Works operated two farms, the blast furnace and forge, a puddling furnace, charcoal and brick kilns, trip hammers and a grist and saw mill. The Village consisted of sixteen dwellings and a building with a cupola, used as school, church and the general assembly room.
The first bank in the Adirondack Mountains opened in the hamlet of Adirondac. The mine and related works operated from 1827 to 1857, after which residents abandoned the community. The enterprise closed due in part to difficulties in extracting an unknown impurity from the local ore. Inadequate roads and the cancellation of plans for a railroad extension also contributed to the failure.
Mine Abandoned
During the latter nineteenth century the principal land uses at the Tahawus tract were lumbering and game. The private Preston Ponds Club formed in 1876 for sport hunters and fishermen. The club renamed itself the Adironack Club in 1877, and in 1989 renamed itself again to the Tahawus Club. Club management leased the Tahawus tract lands from the mine owners' heirs.Theodore Roosevelt's visit
Vice President Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
was visiting Tahawus in 1901 during the final days of President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
's presidency. Roosevelt had been vacationing in Vermont, but quickly left for Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
after learning that President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
had recently been shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz
Leon Czolgosz
Leon Czolgosz was the assassin of U.S. President William McKinley.In the last few years of his life, he claimed to have been heavily influenced by anarchists such as Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman.- Early life :...
. Hearing of the President's good prognosis and expecting a quick recovery, Roosevelt embarked on a hiking trip up Mount Marcy from Adirondack, where his family was staying. Three hours into the trip, a mounted park ranger alerted him that McKinley was in critical condition. On Roosevelt's return to Buffalo, he learned of the President's death and took the oath of office.
Mine Reopening
In 1940 a new mine opened, this time for the purpose of obtaining the titanium dioxideTitanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula . When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6, or CI 77891. Generally it comes in two different forms, rutile and anatase. It has a wide range of...
that had had been partly responsible for the previous mine's commercial failure. In 1940 National Lead Industries reopened the mines along Sanford Lake. This location, known as the Lower Works, was about a mile south of the original operation. A new community was established in 1943 for the mine workers which was called Tahawus. By 1945, Tahawus had 84 buildings. Some of the buildings left over at Adirondac were also used. Forty million tons of titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
were extracted at the National Lead Industries' mines before operations ceased in 1989. By the time the second mining operation closed in 1989 it had produced 40 million tons of titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
.
Conservation
The Open Space InstituteOpen Space Institute
Open Space Institute is a conservation organization and think tank with an extensive mission statement. It seeks to preserve scenic, natural and historic landscapes for public enjoyment, conserve habitats while sustaining community character, and help protect the environment...
took an interest in the property for conservation purposes because of its interest in the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
watershed. Joe Martens, president of the Institute, describes the Tahawus tract as "absolutely breathtaking." He continues, "Its defining natural features include rugged mountains, crystal clear, glacially carved lakes, and the headwaters of the Hudson River." Four years after the 1989 mine closure the Open Space Institute opened purchase negotiations, which concluded in 2003 as a public-private partnership with the New York Adirondack Park Agency purchasing the 10000 acres (40.5 km²) Tahawus tract in August 2003 for US$8.5 million and the OSI sharing management responsibilities.
Tahawus Today
At least 10 buildings remain from the old mining village of Adirondac, as well as remnants of the McIntyre Blast Furnace (built 1854) during the original mining operation. The furnace site has recently been cleared, and the furnace stack stabilized and cleaned. This was done as part of the Tahawus Tract project undertaken by the Open Space InstituteOpen Space Institute
Open Space Institute is a conservation organization and think tank with an extensive mission statement. It seeks to preserve scenic, natural and historic landscapes for public enjoyment, conserve habitats while sustaining community character, and help protect the environment...
which purchased the area in August 2003. Also, as part of a grant given for area cleanup and historic preservation, the old MacNaughton Cottage (built in 1845, one of the approximately ten remaining buildings) underwent restoration. This was the house that Vice President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
stayed in during his hike to Mount Marcy
Mount Marcy
Mount Marcy is the highest point in New York State, with an elevation of . It is a popular destination for hikers due to its stature and great views, and the peak can get very crowded in the summer months...
when he received news of President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
being close to death after being shot in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
on September 6, 1901. No buildings are known to remain at the latter community of Tahawus along Sanford Lake, including the mines.
Geography
Tahawus is also a name sometimes used for Mount Marcy, the highest peak in New York, located outside of the town. However, the name was likely never used by the aboriginal peoples of the area to refer to the mountain, and its meaning, "Cloud-Splitter," may have no roots in any language.Located within the Tahawus tract is Henderson Lake, a 450 acres (1.8 km²) lake. Tahawus also contains Mount Adams
Mount Adams (New York)
Mount Adams is a mountain located in Essex County of New York. Atop the mountain is the Mount Adams Fire Observation Station, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006....
and several minor Adirondack peaks. According to the Adirondack Park Agency, wildlife in tract include "bears, deer, loons, coyotes, foxes...and the elusive Pine Marten
American Marten
The American marten is a North American member of the family Mustelidae, sometimes referred to as the pine marten. The name "pine marten" is derived from the common but distinct Eurasian species of Martes...
".
Transportation
Only one state highway passes through Tahawus, that one being New York State Route 28NNew York State Route 28N
New York State Route 28N is a state highway in the Adirondacks in New York that extends from Blue Mountain Lake to North Creek. The route, in length, is a northerly alternate route to NY 28 between both locations. The highway passes through several communities before terminating at...
. There is also only one county-maintained highway, Essex County Route 25, better known as Tahawus Road. CR 25 brings drivers northward to Henderson Lake.
External links
- Adirondack Park Agency
- Pictures of the mines
- Photos depicting the Delaware & Hudson Railroad that once served the Tahawus Mines
- About the Tahawus Tract
- A History of the McIntyre Mine
- NYSDEC Grant News: Tahawus Tract
- Adirondac Ghost Town Awaits its Future
- The 'Deserted Village' Anthologies
- Tahawus at ghosttowns.com
- The 'Deserted Village' Anthologies