The Lake George Park Commission released their 2018 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program Final Report this past week. Click the image to read the entire report.
Top News Story of Huletts: 2018
Lake George Land Conservancy Executive Director, Jamie Brown, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Leeming Jelliffe Preserve in Huletts Landing which opened in September 2018. (Click all pictures to see larger versions.)
Well here it is – the end of 2018. While all the major media outlets are recapping the big events of the past year, I like to move into the new year by taking one last look back at what I consider the top “news” story of Huletts Landing from the past year. While a lot happened this year, one event clearly stood out.
On Friday, September 7th, 2018 the Lake George Land Conservancy marked the opening of the Leeming Jelliffe Preserve in Hulett’s Landing with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by nearly 40 community members and key supporters of the project.
The 33.3-acre upland preserve was purchased by the LGLC in April 2018. Over the summer, LGLC staff and volunteers blazed a short, easy trail to the preserve’s viewpoint overlooking the narrows and Silver Bay on the western shore. There is currently a small road-front area for parking; a larger parking lot may be created, if needed.
The sign at then end of the trail of the new Leeming Jelliffe Preserve.
I chose this story because as real estate gets more expensive to purchase and maintain in the Lake George basin, this type of preservation is very unique and forward looking. Public open spaces improve our physical and psychological health and strengthen our community. They attract tourists, and serve as community signature pieces, offer a marketing tool to attract new property owners and visitors.
A large and festive crowd gathered in September for the ribbon cutting. Sylvia Jelliffe Lawler is pictured here (left) in white sweater.
This specific purchase was made thanks to the willingness of the Wilkening family to work to protect it, and to a timely and generous donation by Paul and Sylvia Jelliffe Lawler, which was matched by Paul’s past employer, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. The donation also made possible the purchase of a conservation easement on an adjoining house lot with over 600 feet of Lake George shorefront.
Visitors and guests enjoying the new trail system.
From left to right, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of new Leeming Jelliffe Preserve in Huletts Landing: LGLC Development Manager Helen Barton Benedict, Paul Lawler, LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, LGLC Board President Mike O’Reilly, Sylvia Jelliffe Lawler, and LGLC Board Member Patty HasBrouck.
The view from the new Leeming Jelliffe Preserve.
The LGLC also announced a new campaign, launched with a challenge pledge of $1 million from the Lawlers and Kellogg Foundation for conservation in the Hulett’s Landing area. The LGLC will be fundraising to match the generous pledge, so that $2 million in total will be available for permanent land protection in the region.
So congratulations to all those who made the new Leeming Jelliffe Preserve in Huletts Landing a reality in 2018. You are the Top News Story of Huletts: 2018!
Now on to 2019!
Dresden Receives Salt Brine Equipment from LGPC
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Brine spreaders (foreground) and brine tanks (background) acquired by the Lake George Park Commission before they were sent to towns in the Lake George watershed.
Many thanks to Dave Wick of the Lake George Park Commission who applied for the grant so that each town in the Lake George watershed could receive a salt brine spreader, containers to hold the brine and a supply of the brine itself to use on roads before a winter storm event.
The idea behind this equipment is that it should lower the amount of road salt that is applied to area roads and lessen the amount of salt runoff into the lake.
Dresden received three storage tanks that have already been installed. Two 3,000 gallon tanks for holding the salt brine, and one 1,000 gallon tank for magnesium chlorine which is used to prep the road surface.
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A brine spreader is designed to go in the back of a town truck.
The Town of Dresden has spent approximately $30,000 per year on road salt in the past. By utilizing the brine, the Town is hoping to cut road salt usage in half, in addition to helping the environment.
The LGPC also provided a shared brine maker to Dresden and our neighbor to the north, Putnam. Because of a lack of space the maker will be housed in Putnam but Dresden will be able to refill our tanks as needed.
Many thanks to Town Supervisor, Paul Ferguson, and Dresden highway superintendent, Rick Hobus. Saving money while also protecting the environment for the citizens of Dresden is a win-win for all involved.
(Click images to see full-scale. Photo credit: Pat Dowd, Lake George Association)
Economic Development Grants Announced by Governor
Today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that more than $763 million in economic and community development funding has been awarded through Round VIII of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative. A number of worthwhile local projects received funding:
File photo of Rogers Memorial Park in Bolton. The Town of Bolton will be receiving funds from the Regional Economic Development Council initiative for additional improvements to Rogers Memorial Park.
Town of Bolton: $600,000 for Rogers Memorial Park Waterfront Sustainability improvements.
Town of Bolton: $1,000,000 for improvements to the Town’s wastewater treatment process.
Town of Granville: $250,000 to construct a northern segment of the Slate Valley Rail Trail linking miles of family friendly, accessible trail with points north and south of the Village of Granville. The trail is envisioned as an indispensable link that will ultimately connect northeastern Washington County with the Empire State Trail in Whitehall, New York; and with the D&H rail Trail north linking in through Hampton New York to Poultney/Castleton and south to Pawlet/Rupert Vermont.
Town of Hague: $230,625, to install new control systems and perform other upgrades at their Dodd Hill and Cape Cod pumping stations. These wastewater treatment improvements will help prevent nutrients entering nearby waterways, including phosphorus that may lead to harmful algal blooms.
Town of Lake George: $657,028 to consolidate two of their pump stations, making upgrades to the lower pump station and installing sewer pipes and force mains. The benefit of this project includes protecting Lake George from additional phosphorus that can lead to harmful algal blooms.
Village of Lake George: $100,000 to complete a study on groundwater infiltration into the sanitary sewer collection system.
Town of Ticonderoga: $30,000 for upgrades to the Town’s wastewater treatment plant’s HVAC system.
Village of Whitehall: $300,000 to be used to remove debris, and design and construct a public parking facility on the site of the former Flat Iron Building.
Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District: $65,200 to expand its county-wide roadside erosion and sediment control program by stabilizing 15-20 acres of bare roadside ditches. The project will improve water quality by reducing sediment and debris runoff entering water bodies from roadside ditch erosion.
Lake Vapor Over Huletts
A picture from this past weekend, showing wisps from the lake feeding into low-flying clouds flowing to the north. (Click image to see larger view. Photo credit: Liam Ballantyne)
New Book: Archeology in the Adirondacks by David R. Starbuck
Archeology in the Adirondacks by David R. Starbuck
As we move into the holidays, here is a book that would make a great gift.
While numerous books have been written about the great camps, hiking trails, and wildlife of the Adirondacks, noted anthropologist David R. Starbuck offers the only archeological guide to a region long overlooked by archeologists who thought that “all the best sites” were elsewhere. This beautifully illustrated volume focuses on the rich and varied material culture brought to the mountains by their original Native American inhabitants, along with subsequent settlements created by soldiers, farmers, industrialists, workers, and tourists. Starbuck examines Native American sites on Lake George and Long Lake; military and underwater sites throughout the Lake George, Fort Ticonderoga, and Crown Point regions; old industrial sites where forges, tanneries, and mines once thrived; farms and the rural landscape; and many other sites, including the abandoned Frontier Town theme park, the ghost town of Adirondac, Civilian Conservation Corps camps, ski areas, and graveyards.
C-130 Flight Down Lake George
A fun video taken from the cockpit of a C-130 flight down Lake George in August 2018. The video starts from the north coming in over Lake Champlain and Fort Ticonderoga and continues on a southerly path down Lake George.
LGLC Protects French Mountain
Photo of the view from the newly protected French Mountain property, looking west over the southern end of Lake George. © Alexander Novick, LGLC (Click image to see large view.)
On October 18, the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) closed on the purchase of 317 acres on French Mountain, which lies within the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury, for $525,000. The LGLC will sell the property subject to a conservation easement to the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury; these transactions are expected to take place within the following months. The conservation easement will not only ensure that the land is protected, but also create a permanent relationship between the towns and the LGLC.
The protection of the land offers direct water quality protection. More than 2,000 feet of seasonal streams flow down the steep slopes of the property and join with East Brook far below. Zoning of the property would have allowed for the development of up to 15 new houses, potentially visible from I-87, Million Dollar Beach, resorts along Lake Shore Drive, and many other locations on the lake. In addition, these houses would have contributed to the runoff that flows into East Brook, and then into the south basin of the lake. Although the LGLC is not anti-development, the benefits to the watershed from protecting this particular land and retaining its natural state outweigh the possible value from development.
The property also offers another positive benefit: recreation. The towns plan to create a multi-use trail system on the property, which the LGLC will help to maintain. Because of its historical use for logging, the property has skidder trails throughout that could be used for hikers and mountain bikers. Although the trails would have a steep incline, the view from the lookout area will prove to be worth the effort. From the lookout area, those who have made the climb will be able to sit under the shade of the forest and catch their breath, taking in the expansive views of the lake, the village below, and the surrounding Adirondacks.
The property also provides a great link to the neighboring East Brook Preserve, which the McPhillips family sold to the LGLC earlier this year through a generous bargain sale. The Preserve contains wetlands and over 500 feet of the main branch of East Brook. The LGLC plans to develop a trail system and install educational signage at the property to explain how important land protection is to ensuring clean water in Lake George for generations to come.
The French Mt. project became the LGLC’s second great demonstration of how a land trust can successfully partner with municipalities for land conservation, and the shared goal of protecting Lake George. Similar to the LGLC’s partnership with the Town of Bolton to protect The Pinnacle in 2015, the LGLC brokered a cooperative agreement that benefits the lake as well as our partners’ communities.
LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown said, “This project could not have happened without everyone involved being fully committed and dedicated to its success. We are grateful to the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury and to the McPhillips family, and look forward to other partnerships like this that will protect the land that protects the lake and create wonderful community resources.”
Queensbury Supervisor John Strough said, “The creation of a 317-acre jointly-owned French Mountain Park, is huge. This effort initiated by Lake George Town Supervisor Dickinson and LGLC’s Jamie Brown is going to be a boon for both Lake George’s water quality and our area’s recreational offerings. A beautiful property with beautiful views—flora, fauna, visitors and locals will love it.”
Bernice McPhillips, whose family owned the French Mountain property for over 90 years, expressed support for the land to be used as a recreational resource for the community. “The partnership with the Towns of Lake George and Queensbury and the hiking and biking trail system will have a very positive impact for the economy year round,” she said. “The beautiful view from the top is from the village straight up the lake and will most definitely be appreciated by the hikers and bikers using the trail system.”
New Matt O’Malley Mystery Thriller, Ghost Guns, Released
Another Matt O’Malley mystery/thriller has been released. Entitled; Ghost Guns, by author Thomas G. Kane, Ghost Guns is a thrilling mystery set in both Orlando and the Adirondack’s own Lake George.
The plot involves Kaitlyn Clancy and Matt O’Malley both becoming targets for a ruthless international arms dealer. Neither knows the other, nor do they know why they have been targeted; and yet, their fates, and the fates of countless others, are inextricably intertwined. If Matt cannot save Kaitlyn, he probably cannot save himself; and, a weapon of unimaginable power will be set loose on the Earth. The way wars are fought, and the balance of power among the world’s nations will be forever altered. No one will ever feel safe again!
All of the books in the series are set in the area in and around Lake George, Glens Falls, and the Adirondack Park. Each of the books is designed first and foremost to tell an exciting story and explore a bit of the rich history of the area. Beyond that, each book explores a serious theme. In Desperate Hours, the vulnerability to terrorist attack of “soft targets” in a free and open society were explored. In Desperate Days, the theme dealt with the pervasive evil of human trafficking in the modern age. In Kateri’s Treasure, O’Malley is confronted with the evils of illicit diamond trading while the characters must also deal with the issue of what in nature holds true value. Finally, in this just released thriller, Ghost Guns, the increasingly troublesome issue of untraceable guns is explored along with our failure to protect one of most precious resources—water.
The local color, history and the many plot twists are quite enjoyable and the story-line keeps the reader guessing until the end. The protagonists in this book are middle aged guys who have been friends since college. They are not super heroes or James Bond style heroes. They are ordinary people who, when put in extraordinary circumstances, rise to the challenge and do the right thing. In Ghost Guns, a quirky new character is introduced, the landscaper Bill Bell, or more appropriately, since everyone crams his name together, Billbell. He is a retired lobbyist so disillusioned with the world that he keeps it at bay by working alone as a landscaper and limits attempts at conversation by responding only with Shakespearean quotes.
New LGLC Leeming Jelliffe Preserve Opens in Huletts Landing
From left to right, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of new Leeming Jelliffe Preserve in Huletts Landing: LGLC Development Manager Helen Barton Benedict, Paul Lawler, LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, LGLC Board President Mike O’Reilly, Sylvia Jelliffe Lawler, and LGLC Board Member Patty HasBrouck.
On Friday, September 7th, 2018 the Lake George Land Conservancy marked the opening of the Leeming Jelliffe Preserve in Hulett’s Landing with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by nearly 40 community members and key supporters of the project.
Visitors and guests enjoying the new trail system.
The 33.3-acre upland preserve was purchased by the LGLC in April. Over the summer, LGLC staff and volunteers blazed a short, easy trail to the preserve’s viewpoint overlooking the narrows and Silver Bay on the western shore. There is currently a small road-front area for parking; a larger parking lot may be created, if needed.
The purchase was made thanks to the willingness of the Wilkening family to work to protect it, and to a timely and generous donation by Paul and Sylvia Jelliffe Lawler, which was matched by Paul’s past employer, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. The donation also made possible the purchase of a conservation easement on an adjoining house lot with over 600 feet of Lake George shorefront.
The Lawlers joined LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown to cut the ceremonial ribbon at the preserve’s entrance on Bluff Head Road. Sylvia then spoke about her family’s roots at Lake George, and specifically, Hulett’s Landing.
Sylvia’s great-grandparents, and Helena “Bunny” Wilkening’s grandparents, Dr. Smith Ely Jelliffe and Helena Dewey Leeming Jelliffe, bought 125 acres of land in Hulett’s Landing in the early 1900’s. Over time the land was divided between their children; Bunny’s mother, Winifred, was given land that Bunny then inherited, including the property which is now the Leeming Jelliffe Preserve. The Preserve is named after Winifred’s brother, and Sylvia’s grandfather, William Leeming Jelliffe.
A reception followed the ribbon cutting at “The White House”, hosted by Paul and Sylvia Lawler.
“My grandfather, Leeming, died before my dad was born. He was a dearly beloved brother and he loved the lake. Dad was able to connect with his Aunts and Uncle here when I was young, and Lake George continues to be the strong thread that keeps us together. There is really something magical and comforting about this place, and its ability to keep people together.”
The LGLC also announced a new campaign, launched with a challenge pledge of $1 million from the Lawlers and Kellogg Foundation for conservation in the Hulett’s Landing area. The LGLC will be fundraising to match the generous pledge, so that $2 million in total will be available for permanent land protection in the region.
The view from the new Leeming Jelliffe Preserve.
Bits of Everything
Adirondack Life Magazine Profile: The Firehouse in Hague
Adirondack Life magazine has a great piece on the Firehouse, a unique dining experience in Hague, that many folks from Huletts like to visit.
New Propane Facility Opens in Nearby Hampton
Ray Energy has a press release on their website, which documents their new rail facility in Washington County that will serve the Northeast with propane.
Aggressive Bear Killed By DEC
A bear was killed by the DEC in Saranac Lake Island Campground recently as described by the Adirondack Explorer. I saw a bear once in Dresden but I didn’t get a good look because I was looking over my shoulder as I was running in the opposite direction.
More Asian Clams Found in Lake George
The Lake George Park Commission has released their final report for 2018 that details Asian Clam growth in Lake George
LGA’s Floating Classroom to Visit Huletts: Monday July 16th
The Friends of Historic Huletts Landing is sponsoring a visit from the Lake George Association’s Flaoting classroom on Monday July 16th.
The LGA Floating Classroom will leave from the dock in front of the old Huletts Casino at 10:00 am. Please arrive 15 minutes early for an on-time departure and maximum time on the Lake.
Please help offset the cost by donating $15 per person. This event has been very popular in the past and we hope we can exceed the 34 people we had last time.
LGLC Awarded Grant for Indian Brook and Northwest Bay Brook Initiative
A view from the Wing Pond property.
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has been awarded a $20,000 matching grant from the Cloudsplitter Foundation to be used to leverage new donations for land protection efforts within its Indian Brook/Northwest Bay Brook Conservation Initiative.
Specifically, the Cloudsplitter grant award will be put towards the acquisition costs of the 159-acre Wing Pond property, purchased by the LGLC in December of 2016. This property, which is within the scope of the Conservation Initiative, includes 15 acres of sensitive wetlands, 750 feet of stream corridor, important habitat for birds and wildlife (including critical rattlesnake breeding habitat), and four-season recreational opportunities for nearby communities and the public.
The Conservation Initiative focuses on a 7,500-acre complex of wetlands, streams and undisturbed forests that are within the subwatersheds of two of the Lake George’s largest tributaries—Indian Brook and Northwest Bay Brook. Sensitive lands within this area are critical to filtering millions of gallons of water before it enters the lake each year, but only if left in their natural, healthy state.
For example, studies indicate that although Indian Brook is showing some impacts from development and other human activity, the watershed is still below the threshold of containing less than 10% of impervious surface, which is an indicator of overall health. Much of the watershed’s sensitive land is currently unprotected, leaving water quality vulnerable.
To date, the LGLC and partners have protected 2,384 acres and 4,150 feet of shoreline within this area, an investment of more than $2 million. All of these properties contribute to the community’s overall health by providing protection of wetlands and stream corridors, as well as allow for public recreational opportunities. The LGLC has created and maintains more than 15 miles of recreational trails within this area.
This is the first grant the LGLC has received from the Cloudsplitter Foundation, which works primarily to improve the environment, both physical and cultural, in the Adirondacks and to make life easier, healthier, and more rewarding for the people who live there.
By funding the Wing Pond project, the Cloudsplitter Foundation is helping the LGLC to not only be able to further its conservation mission in this sensitive area but also to build on partnerships with landowners, communities and New York State. This project in particular represents over four decades of conservation work, and offers great conservation value, increased community and recreational value, and, as a match, leverage towards the greater Initiative.
Speedo Tech Paddles
Speedo Tech Paddles
These interesting looking hand extensions are designed to help you swim with better technique but I found when you pair them with flippers on your feet, you swim like aquaman.
New technology for swimmer!