Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Trudeau Sanatorium
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
The Administration Building
Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Nearest city	Saranac Lake, New York
Architect	Coulter, W. L.; et al.
Architectural style	Late Victorian, Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals
MPS	Saranac Lake MPS
NRHP reference No.	95000479
Added to NRHP	April 20, 1995

The Gatehouse

Two of the early Cure Cottages. Originally the first-floor porches were open; they were closed in by the American Management Association after the sanatorium had closed

1906 view of the chapel and cure cottages shown above

The Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium was a special hospital built in Saranac Lake, New York. It opened in 1885. Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau started it to help people with tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was a serious lung disease back then.

After Dr. Trudeau passed away in 1915, the hospital's name changed. It became known as the Trudeau Sanatorium. This important place was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

A Doctor's Journey

Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau

Edward Trudeau was born in 1848 in New York City. His family had many doctors. When Edward was a teenager, his older brother James got tuberculosis. Edward took care of him until he died. This sad event deeply affected Edward.

At age twenty, Edward started medical school. He studied at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. He finished his training in 1871.

A Personal Fight

In 1873, Dr. Trudeau himself was diagnosed with tuberculosis. At that time, doctors thought a change of climate could help. So, he moved to the Adirondack Mountains. He spent a lot of time outdoors. Surprisingly, his health got better!

In 1876, he settled in Saranac Lake. He started a small medical practice there.

The Sanatorium Begins

A New Idea for Healing

In 1882, Dr. Trudeau learned about a German doctor named Hermann Brehmer. Dr. Brehmer had success treating tuberculosis. He used something called the "rest cure." This cure involved resting in cold, clear mountain air.

Dr. Trudeau decided to try this method in America. In February 1885, he opened the Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium.

"Little Red" and Early Patients

The very first patients were two sisters. They had worked in factories in New York City. They stayed in a small, one-room cottage. It was called "Little Red." This cottage cost only $350 to build. The land was given by local guides and villagers.

As the sanatorium grew, wealthy friends helped support it. These friends included sportsmen Dr. Trudeau met at Paul Smith's Hotel. Some of them had built large vacation homes nearby.

Growing and Helping Others

Supporting the Patients

The sanatorium did not offer free care. But it helped poorer patients by charging less than the actual cost. Raising money was always a challenge. Many doctors and staff worked without pay. Dr. Trudeau often said he couldn't pay his staff enough. Many doctors and nurses who worked there also had tuberculosis themselves.

Learning and Teaching

The sanatorium also created a nursing school. Later, they opened the Trudeau School of Tuberculosis. This school offered short summer courses. Doctors could come for six weeks. They learned the newest ways to treat tuberculosis.

Famous Patients

Some well-known people were treated at the sanatorium. These included writers Allan Seager and Walker Percy. A Canadian doctor named Norman Bethune also stayed there. Even baseball players like Larry Doyle and Christy Mathewson were patients.

More Places to Heal

Over time, many more patients came to the area. The sanatorium couldn't hold everyone. So, many small, family-run "cure cottages" opened. These cottages helped meet the demand.

Other large sanatoriums were built nearby. These included ones in Ray Brook and Gabriels. In 1927, the Will Rogers Hospital was built in Saranac Lake. Today, it's a place for older adults called Saranac Village at Will Rogers.

The End of an Era

The Trudeau Sanatorium closed in 1954. This happened because new medicines were discovered. These antibiotic treatments could cure tuberculosis effectively.

In 1957, Dr. Francis B. Trudeau, Jr., Dr. Edward Trudeau's grandson, sold the property. The money from the sale helped create a new medical research center. This center is the Trudeau Institute. It opened in 1964 on Lower Saranac Lake. The original "Little Red" cottage and Dr. Trudeau's statue were moved there as memorials.

Many of the old sanatorium buildings have been torn down. Others have been changed a lot. But some are still standing. They are not usually open to the public. However, Historic Saranac Lake, a local group, sometimes offers tours.

Images for kids

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  "Little Red"

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  Statue of Dr E L Trudeau, now at the Trudeau Institute

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  Occupational Therapy Building

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  Chapel in the 1890s

Learn More

• Bonafide, John A., Mary Hotaling, and Rachel D. BlivenNational Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation—"Cure Industry Resources in the Village of Saranac Lake, Essex and Franklin Co., NY", 1992
• Cole, Elizabeth, Fifty Years at Trudeau Sanatorium, Saranac Lake, NY: The Currier Press, 1935.
• Donaldson, Alfred L., A History of the Adirondacks. New York: Century, 1921. ISBN: 0-916346-26-9. (reprint) at GoogleBooks
• Gallos, Phillip L., Cure Cottages of Saranac Lake, Historic Saranac Lake, 1985, ISBN: 0-9615159-0-2.