Great Camp Sagamore facts for kids
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Sagamore Lodge
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Great Camp Sagamore, Raquette Lake, New York
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| Nearest city | Raquette Lake, New York |
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| Built | 1897 |
| Architect | William West Durant |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001221 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 11, 1976 |
| Designated NHL | May 16, 2000 |
Great Camp Sagamore is a special historic place in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York State. It's one of many "Great Camps" built there long ago. These camps were like fancy vacation homes for very rich families.
Contents
The Story of Great Camp Sagamore
Who Built Sagamore?
Great Camp Sagamore was built by a man named William West Durant. He started building it between 1895 and 1897. It is located right next to Sagamore Lake. Before Sagamore, Durant had already built two other famous camps. These were Camp Pine Knot and Camp Uncas. All three of these amazing camps are still used today.
How Was the Camp Designed?
The camp is actually made up of two main parts. These parts are about half a mile away from each other. One part was called the "Upper Complex." This was where the workers lived and did their jobs. The other part was the "Lower Complex," which was for the guests.
The buildings in the Upper Complex were very practical. They were not as fancy as the ones where the guests stayed. The guest area was designed to be beautiful and fun. Rich families came to Sagamore to relax and have parties. They wanted to feel close to nature. But they also wanted to keep all the comforts of their city homes.
Who Owned Sagamore Next?
In 1901, William Durant had to sell Sagamore. He was having money problems because of a family lawsuit. A very wealthy man named Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt bought the camp. Vanderbilt made many improvements to Sagamore. He added modern bathrooms with flushing toilets. He also put in a sewer system and running hot and cold water.
Later, Vanderbilt added a special power plant that used water to make electricity. He even built an outdoor bowling alley! This bowling alley had a clever system to bring the bowling balls back. Other cool things he added were a tennis court and a croquet lawn. There was also a huge water tank and a working farm.
Sadly, Vanderbilt died in 1915. He was a victim of the Lusitania ship sinking. He left Sagamore to his wife, Margaret Emerson. She loved sports and continued to use the camp for many years.
How Sagamore Was Saved
Mrs. Emerson later gave the property to Syracuse University. The university used it as a place for meetings and conferences. Then, the State of New York wanted to buy it. However, if the state bought it, the historic buildings might have been torn down. This was because of a rule called "Forever Wild" in the New York State Constitution. This rule protects wild areas.
To stop the buildings from being destroyed, a group called the Preservation League of New York State stepped in. They worked with the state to save the camp. They made sure the property went to a special non-profit group. This group would keep the camp safe and use it for good purposes.
Today, Great Camp Sagamore is still an educational place. It helps teach people about its history and how to protect important landmarks.
Sagamore Becomes a Landmark
A part of Sagamore was first recognized as a historic place in 1976. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Later, in 1986, more of the camp's land was included. Finally, on May 16, 2000, the camp was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical site in the United States.
The Sagamore Institute of the Adirondacks, Inc. now runs the historic camp. You can visit it on a guided tour. They also offer places to stay and educational programs from May through October. You can find out more at their website: sagamore.org.
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