Wiawaka Holiday House
Encyclopedia
Wiawaka is a holiday house for women. It has lake front property on Lake George
, New York
. It is one of the few remaining fully operational vacation/retreat centers which arose out of the women’s rights movement in the early part of the twentieth century. Originally founded in 1903 by Mary Wiltsie Fuller, Wiawaka provided “affordable vacations” for female textile workers from Troy, New York
who lacked the economic means to find respite anywhere else.
Today, women of all socio-economic backgrounds and from all over North America are able to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of Wiawaka since it operates as a nonprofit corporation in order to continue the tradition of “affordable vacations” for all women.
) where it is referred to as the old "garrison ground." This suggests that military activity took place on the site which also is home to sunken bateaux, but no archeological survey has been done at Wiawaka to answer these questions.
The first private owner of the lake front property ran the United States Hotel on the site until F. G. Crosby bought the land and building in 1848. Financial difficulties caused him to lease the structure to the Lake George Young Ladies Institute in 1855 but it was shut down after only one year of operation.
Next, he enlarged the hotel, changing the name to Crosbyside, and housed several customers from cities who retreated to Lake George for a vacation in the country. With a new wave of tourism, Mr. Crosby was very successful and he soon built several Victorian
cottages as lodging for his best and most loyal customers. These are Mayflower Cottage, c. 1873 and Rose Cottage, c. 1873. He also built a house for himself and his family soon after in 1876 (it was later named Fuller House). The Second Empire style residence is very little altered in its appearance today. In 1890s, Crosbyside was sold to a new owner and declined in the shadow of resorts like the bigger and more luxurious Fort William Henry
Hotel.
and her husband Spencer Trask
acquired the property. Spencer and Katrina Trask built Wakonda Lodge, formerly called “Amitola,” in 1905 as their first experiment in a building an artists' colony before receiving artists at Yaddo
. The famous artist Georgia O’Keeffe later stayed in this lodge. Katrina gradually handed over her land to her friend Mary Wiltsie Fuller who had a vision of providing retreats from the polluted city to women factory workers from Troy (known then as The Collar City). Using the original structures built by Mr. Crosby, Mary Fuller opened her retreat center in 1903 and named it Wiawaka Holiday House. Wiawaka is derived from the Abenaki word meaning “The Great Spirit of Woman.” Mary proved the existence of the collective “Great Spirit” as she formed a board of women to run and look out for the interests of Wiawaka. Eventually, Wiawaka added workshops covering different skills to add an additional dimension to the guests’ vacations.
"Wiawaka is a non-sectarian retreat and educational center dedicated to enriching the lives of women, and helping disadvantaged women, including but not limited to women with disabilities, economically disadvantaged women, victims of domestic abuse, the elderly, and other women in transition, to develop skills and personal resources necessary to meet the challenges they face in life. Wiawaka is steward of the preservation, maintenance and operation of its historic property."
In order to give all women the opportunity to go to Wiawaka, room and board is offered on a sliding scale according to income. All three meals are served on site in the same communal dining room that guests have used since 1903. Today, a very diverse range of workshops are offered, all of which have been opened up to the public (the calendar is easily accessible on their website). Some recent workshop topics have included creative writing, poetry readings with Yaddo
poet Joan Murray
, holistic healing, yoga, quilting, historical lectures, jewelry making, and tours of the historic property. Not only have workshops been opened up to the public, but Wiawaka has also started to offer day use passes as well for those who are not overnight guests yet would like to take advantage of the serene property. Many of Wiawaka’s guests return year after year to meet friends, attend workshops, volunteer, live the history, and take in the magical peace tranquility, and spirit that is Wiawaka.
under nine categories of significance and is listed by the National Park Service
as a “Place Where Women Made History.” Its place on the National Register is significant as the National Park Service holds high standards regarding the historic value of sites to which it grants this status. Its Victorian cottages, Adirondack lodge, and House of Trix (built directly over the water) are points of historic architectural interest and are listed on the register. A marker on the shore points out the location of the Wiawaka Bateaux which are also on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lake George (town), New York
Lake George is a town in Warren County, New York, USA. The population was 3,578 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the lake, Lake George. Within the town is a village also named Lake George. The town is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The lake was...
, 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...
. It is one of the few remaining fully operational vacation/retreat centers which arose out of the women’s rights movement in the early part of the twentieth century. Originally founded in 1903 by Mary Wiltsie Fuller, Wiawaka provided “affordable vacations” for female textile workers from Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
who lacked the economic means to find respite anywhere else.
Today, women of all socio-economic backgrounds and from all over North America are able to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of Wiawaka since it operates as a nonprofit corporation in order to continue the tradition of “affordable vacations” for all women.
Early History of the Property
The earliest reference to the property of Wiawaka is in the tax records of Caldwall (now Lake GeorgeLake George (New York)
Lake George, nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes, is a long, narrow oligotrophic lake draining northwards into Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River Drainage basin located at the southeast base of the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York, U.S.A.. It lies within the upper region of the...
) where it is referred to as the old "garrison ground." This suggests that military activity took place on the site which also is home to sunken bateaux, but no archeological survey has been done at Wiawaka to answer these questions.
The first private owner of the lake front property ran the United States Hotel on the site until F. G. Crosby bought the land and building in 1848. Financial difficulties caused him to lease the structure to the Lake George Young Ladies Institute in 1855 but it was shut down after only one year of operation.
Next, he enlarged the hotel, changing the name to Crosbyside, and housed several customers from cities who retreated to Lake George for a vacation in the country. With a new wave of tourism, Mr. Crosby was very successful and he soon built several Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
cottages as lodging for his best and most loyal customers. These are Mayflower Cottage, c. 1873 and Rose Cottage, c. 1873. He also built a house for himself and his family soon after in 1876 (it was later named Fuller House). The Second Empire style residence is very little altered in its appearance today. In 1890s, Crosbyside was sold to a new owner and declined in the shadow of resorts like the bigger and more luxurious Fort William Henry
Fort William Henry
Fort William Henry was a British fort at the southern end of Lake George in the province of New York. It is best known as the site of notorious atrocities committed by Indians against the surrendered British and provincial troops following a successful French siege in 1757, an event which is the...
Hotel.
"The Great Spirit of Woman" over the years
In 1902, Katrina TraskKatrina Trask
Katrina Trask , also known as Kate Nichols Trask, was an American author and philanthropist.- Life account :She was born Kate Nichols in Brooklyn, New York to George Little Nichols and Christina Mary Cole...
and her husband Spencer Trask
Spencer Trask
Spencer Trask was an American financier, philanthropist, and venture capitalist. Beginning in the 1870s, Trask began investing and supporting entrepreneurs, including Thomas Edison's invention of the electric light bulb and his electricity network...
acquired the property. Spencer and Katrina Trask built Wakonda Lodge, formerly called “Amitola,” in 1905 as their first experiment in a building an artists' colony before receiving artists at Yaddo
Yaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400 acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment."...
. The famous artist Georgia O’Keeffe later stayed in this lodge. Katrina gradually handed over her land to her friend Mary Wiltsie Fuller who had a vision of providing retreats from the polluted city to women factory workers from Troy (known then as The Collar City). Using the original structures built by Mr. Crosby, Mary Fuller opened her retreat center in 1903 and named it Wiawaka Holiday House. Wiawaka is derived from the Abenaki word meaning “The Great Spirit of Woman.” Mary proved the existence of the collective “Great Spirit” as she formed a board of women to run and look out for the interests of Wiawaka. Eventually, Wiawaka added workshops covering different skills to add an additional dimension to the guests’ vacations.
Wiawaka today
Mary Fuller died in the 1940s, but her vision of providing vacations to hard working women continues today, although women of all socio-economic backgrounds are welcome. Wiawaka also takes pride in continuing to offer a diverse range of workshops like those held since its founding. These components combined with its historic foundation lay the cornerstones for its mission statement which follows:"Wiawaka is a non-sectarian retreat and educational center dedicated to enriching the lives of women, and helping disadvantaged women, including but not limited to women with disabilities, economically disadvantaged women, victims of domestic abuse, the elderly, and other women in transition, to develop skills and personal resources necessary to meet the challenges they face in life. Wiawaka is steward of the preservation, maintenance and operation of its historic property."
In order to give all women the opportunity to go to Wiawaka, room and board is offered on a sliding scale according to income. All three meals are served on site in the same communal dining room that guests have used since 1903. Today, a very diverse range of workshops are offered, all of which have been opened up to the public (the calendar is easily accessible on their website). Some recent workshop topics have included creative writing, poetry readings with Yaddo
Yaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400 acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment."...
poet Joan Murray
Joan Murray
Joan Murray is an American poet.-Life:She graduated from Hunter College and later earned an M.A. from New York University...
, holistic healing, yoga, quilting, historical lectures, jewelry making, and tours of the historic property. Not only have workshops been opened up to the public, but Wiawaka has also started to offer day use passes as well for those who are not overnight guests yet would like to take advantage of the serene property. Many of Wiawaka’s guests return year after year to meet friends, attend workshops, volunteer, live the history, and take in the magical peace tranquility, and spirit that is Wiawaka.
A National Historic Place and Wiawaka's importance
Wiawaka is listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
under nine categories of significance and is listed by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
as a “Place Where Women Made History.” Its place on the National Register is significant as the National Park Service holds high standards regarding the historic value of sites to which it grants this status. Its Victorian cottages, Adirondack lodge, and House of Trix (built directly over the water) are points of historic architectural interest and are listed on the register. A marker on the shore points out the location of the Wiawaka Bateaux which are also on the National Register of Historic Places.