News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
Here are the minutes of the February 2014 Dresden Town Board meeting.
The minutes for any given month are not approved until the next month’s meeting. So these are the minutes from February which were approved in March. The March minutes will not be approved until April and so on.
Below is a link to the proposed agenda for the Dresden Town Board meeting this Monday, March 10th. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm.
Here are the minutes of the January 2014 Dresden Town Board meeting. They encompass both the annual organizational and regular January meetings which were held the same night.
The minutes for any given month are not approved until the next month’s meeting. So these are the minutes from January which were approved in February. The February minutes will not be approved until March and so on.
A simulated ice rescue drill was done today by the the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Department in cooperation with both the Dresden and Whitehall Volunteer Fire Departments. (Click image to see full-scale.)
Today, Sunday February 16th, with temperatures around 10 degrees, the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Department in cooperation with both the Dresden and Whitehall Volunteer Fire Departments, held a mutual aid ice rescue drill at the Huletts Island View Marina on Lake George.
The drill was coordinated by Jay VanderPlaat, Huletts Landing Fire Chief, and the training was done by Brian Brooks, Whitehall Fire Chief. There were 28 men present with 10 coming from Huletts.
The wind was fierce and the air was bitter cold but, but all the volunteers gave it their all and the training was a huge success. They were flanked by a good many spectators who braved the cold to watch the event.
The Women’s Auxiliary provided the firefighters with a hot lasagna meal back at the Huletts firehouse at the conclusion.
Below are pictures from today’s training. (Click all images to see full-scale.)
Whitehall’s ice rescue boat was used on Lake George.
Brian Brooks, Whitehall Fire Chief, (in black hat) conducted the training.
Huletts, Dresden and Whitehall Volunteers in front of the Huletts Island View Marina.
Huletts Volunteer Fireman, Terry Storms, was the simulated “man in the water.”
Great caution was taken to make the drill realistic but also safe for the volunteers involved.
The weather was brutally cold.
Coordination was done by the volunteers on the ice and on the land.
All-in-all, it was a day in the history of Huletts Landing.
Many thanks go out to Fire Chiefs, VanderPlaat and Brooks, for coordinating this training as well as all the volunteers who made the day a success.
The new floor of the Chapel of the Assumption can be seen with all the pews removed for refinishing. (Click image to see full-scale.)
Despite the severe winter weather we’re having, work is progressing on the proposed improvements to the Chapel of the Assumption, namely to redo the floor and refinish the pews. Shortly after the Columbus Day weekend, all the pews were removed and taken to be refinished. The work on the floor is nearly complete, that is, removing the unsightly tiles that covered the aisles and covering the entire floor with new hardwood oak flooring.
The wall partition behind the altar. (Click image to see full-scale.)
As the pews and floor were removed, the discolored surface of the wall partition behind the altar was also refinished. This was sorely needed and if done later, could have spread abrasive sawdust all over the newly finished floor and pews. The refinished pews will be brought back and reinstalled, ready for the 2014 Memorial Day Mass. Timing necessitated that this necessary work be done while people were away, and the hope is that it will be covered by generous sacrificial donations, as Our Lady of Hope has made a contribution to cover the chapel’s costs initially.
Over the last decade or two, many other maintenance issues have also been addressed, not as noticeable as the current project but equally important. The outside paint has been continually kept up; a water supply has been brought into the sacristy; the slate roof and the stained glass have been repaired; a new front entrance, new lighting fixture, and a sound system were installed; a handicapped walkway was poured; the big old rotten oak tree in the rear was removed; the electric service and lighting was upgraded; the altar tile was updated; and most recently air-conditioning was added for many who have been so debilitated by the heat and humidity that they have had to leave Mass at times. All of these necessary upgrades were done with past donations of time, energy, and money apart from the weekly offerings.
The renovation will be completed by the 2014 Memorial Day weekend. (Click image to see full-scale.)
For a tiny Adirondack hamlet we are indeed fortunate to have a vibrant Catholic community willing to take an interest in our Chapel’s upkeep and, most importantly, a priest who will faithfully serve us. Hopefully it will be ongoing. If you are in “Huletts” this winter or spring and would like to see the progress, please call either Mrs. Cathy Aiken or Mrs. Carol Borin to have the chapel opened.
If you would like to make a donation to this needed work, please send your contribution to: Mission Chapel of the Assumption c/o Our Lady of Hope, 9 Wheeler Avenue, Whitehall, NY 12887.
Many thanks to all those who have and/or will in the future contribute to this valuable work.
Below is a link to the proposed agenda for the Dresden Town Board meeting this Monday, February 10th. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm.
In regards to my previous posts about the history of Kitchel Bay’s name, a number of people responded with fascinating information.
Mr. Larry Hansen of Lands End Road was kind enough to provide some very valuable genealogical information.
Regarding Kitchel Bay’s name, my mother was adopted in her teens by Dr. James Pedersen, owner of Whileaway. Dr. James Pedersen’s brother, Professor Frederick M. Pedersen, married Gertrude Kitchel. Her parents I believe were one of the first families to summer on the bay now named for them, in the late nineteenth century. Their house was the one that Bob Nephew bought a few years ago from Grace Iijima, next to the Covinos (originally the Kemps, then later the Newels). The Kitchel family geneology is given in detail, I believe, in Hamlet Summers which my mother edited/wrote in 1953 (reprinted by the Washington County Historical Society about 1980). I will try to find my copy. The Washington County Historical Society has a copy in their Fort Edward library.
Best regards,
Larry
Additionally, Mark Stanton provided the many interesting links below, which include information on the tragic death of a young Kitchel.
George,
I did some googling and found some info on the Kitchels. It might be enough to help Douglas find out if his wife is related.
G.H is Gertrude H. Kitchel. I found mention of her here.
There is also mention of a James Kitchel on page 119 of your book, Huletts Landing on Lake George.
There is also more about the Kitchels from Huletts Landing here.
It looks like Dr. Edwin M. Kitchel, the only son of James Kitchel, was killed at Huletts during a game of blind man’s bluff. I found this in the Georgia Journal of Medicine and Surgery, July 1897. (Right side column of link.)
Here is a copy of his obituary (you may have to scroll down the page a bit).
Here’s a final write-up about the death of Dr. Edwin M. Kitchel from the NY Times.
Mark
Last but not least, Lane DeMuro forwarded an interesting newspaper mention from 1892 which coincidentally also mentions a former occupant of his family’s home.
George
Here is a digital copy of the Saturday July 2, 1892 edition of the Lake George Mirror. The owner of the Lake George Mirror was kind enough to grant permission for me to copy it and put it on the internet.
Huletts is mentioned several times throughout, but on page 13, a mention is made of “James T. Kitchell.” (Near the bottom of the center column.) So the Kitchell name can be traced back to 1892. Of special interest to me is the name, Admiral A.C. Rhind, right next to the Kitchell name. I believe Admiral Rhind rented the cottage from Mrs. Marsh or owned the cottage before her. The Marsh cottage is my family home. The cottage was torn town and Mrs. Marsh built the present one there around 1903.
It’s a good read on a snowy morning!
Regards,
Lane
Many thanks go out to all of the “history detectives” mentioned above for going out of their way to answer Douglas Gallant’s original question.
In regards to the previous post about the history of Kitchell Bay’s name, I received the following from Lane DeMuro:
George,
I saw the request from Douglas Gallant for information on naming Kitchell Bay. I don’t know if the attached will help, but here are some scans of a little Hymn Book (it measures approx 2-1/2″ W x 3-1/2″ Tall) with the name Kitchell written across the front, and inside is written what appears to be “G.H. Kitchell.” I am not really too sure if it is “G.H” or not, but the Kitchell part is very clear. The book was copyright 1879, (copyright page attached) so we know he or she had to own it sometime after that. I suspect it was probably used when the first Mt. Grove church was in operation up on top of the hill. I also scanned a work ledger from D.W. Philips with what appears to be “Mrs…..Kitchell.” It is from 1910, so I can trace Kitchell back that far at least. If I come across any more as I look through my collection I will pass them on to you.
Regards,
Lane DeMuro
The cover of the little Hymm Book.
The copyright page (upper left) showing a publication date of 1879. (Click to see full-scale.)
The initials on the inside appear to be “G.H. Kitchell.” (Click to see full-scale.)
The title page and publisher information. (Click to see full-scale.)
A work ledger from D.W. Philips with what appears to be “Mrs…..Kitchell.” (Click to see full-scale.)
Just a curiosity question for someone. I am interested in who Kitchel Bay is named for. My wife is a Kitchell and suspect that there is a relationship somehow a long time ago.
Douglas Gallant
Editor’s Note: If you can help answer Mr. Gallant’s question, please drop me an email or use the contact form and I’ll post the answer.
Huletts Landing Fire Department Chief, Jay Vanderplaat, asked me to pass along the following Volunteer Fire Department news.
Seven members of the fire department attended an all day seminar in South Glens Falls on single family house fires in January.
On Sunday, February 16th there will be a Mutual Aid Drill with Huletts Landing, Whitehall, and Dresden working on a combined ice rescue. With more people coming to the Landing in the winter, Fire Chief Vanderplaat feels it’s vitally important for the fire department to be prepared.
Please remember to support the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Department. They do much in in the interest of public safety. While you may be away, they guard Huletts Landing every day.
Lane DeMuro recently unearthed a document: “Specifications for Addition to Cottage of Frederic F. Durand at Lake George N.Y.”
Many thanks to Lane DeMuro who found this document in his David Philips collection. He believes David Phillips was the contractor for Frederic Durand.
He is unsure which cottage was Mr. Durands’ but believes it was down Land Ends road.
If you can shed any light on where this cottage was located, please let me know.
Many thanks to Lane DeMuro for sharing this historic find.
Mackenzie (left) and Riley (right) Stoutenburg enjoy Saturday’s beautiful weather.
Monday brought more snow.
Photos courtesy of Gavin Stoutenburg.
Click on both images to see full-scale.
The LGA’s Floating Classroom as seen off of Huletts Landing in 2011.
The Lake George Association is pleased to announce that it has received $10,000 from the Helen and Ritter Shumway Foundation. The foundation was created from the estate of the late Helen Shumway to support conservation efforts. Facilitated by Jack Murphy at Bank of America, a manager of the Foundation, the funding will help support the LGA’s Floating Classroom program as well as Asian Clam management efforts.
The Floating Classroom is central to the mission of the Lake George Association, and a core element of its educational program. The program was originally conceived in 1990 as a means to provide a stirring, enlightening experience to area school children and to help them develop a stewardship interest in the Lake George ecosystem. The program has since grown and today has even expanded to include family groups and tourists in the summer season. The LGA’s Floating Classroom provides a unique hands-on experience for participants to learn about Lake George and how they can help protect it for the future. 2,228 people took part in the Floating Classroom program in 2013, over half of which were students on field trips in the spring and fall.
“We are so happy that we are able to offer the program for groups in the summer in addition to our usual school field trips. This new funding from the Shumway Foundation will help us be able to continue those programs,” said LGA’s Education Coordinator Kristen Rohne. “Everyone who goes out on the boat tells us how amazed they are with what they learn. For many people, this is the first and only time they will get to catch plankton and look at them under a microscope or use a secchi disk to measure water clarity,” said Rohne.
Asian clams were first found in Lake George in the fall of 2010 off Lake Avenue Beach in Lake George Village. Management efforts to kill the clams began right away in the spring of 2011, however unfortunately it has since spread to additional locations around the Lake. As of the most recent lake-wide survey completed this past September the clams have been found in 13 locations around the Lake. “The LGA and many partners have been working hard to keep this highly invasive species under control but its amazing reproductive capabilities seem to be keeping the clams one step ahead,” said LGA’s Executive Director Walt Lender. “We are continuing to work to better understand how the clams reproduce and spread, and then hope to use this information to better inform our future management efforts. Our experience with Asian clam illustrates how important education and prevention really are and why programs like the LGA’s Floating Classroom and Lake Stewards are so critical. We are very grateful to the Shumway Foundation for supporting these important programs.”
Looking out toward Burgess and Nobles Islands from this past weekend.
(Click to see full-scale.)
Picture of the outside temperature as displayed on Jim Biondo’s dashboard as he arrived in Huletts at about 8:00 pm this past Friday night.