Lake Placid, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lake Placid, New York
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Village
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Lake Placid from McKenzie Mountain
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| Nickname(s):
"The Olympic Village"
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Location in Essex County and the state of New York.
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Essex |
| Town | North Elba |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council / Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.53 sq mi (3.97 km2) |
| • Land | 1.36 sq mi (3.53 km2) |
| • Water | 0.17 sq mi (0.45 km2) 10.80% |
| Elevation | 1,801 ft (549 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,205 |
| • Density | 1,620.13/sq mi (625.44/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
12946
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| Area code(s) | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-40761 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0954931 |
Lake Placid is a small village located in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 2,205 people lived there.
This village is famous around the world for hosting the Winter Olympics twice. It held the games in 1932 and again in 1980. Lake Placid also hosted the World University Games in 1972 and 2023, and the 2000 Goodwill Winter Games.
Contents
Exploring Lake Placid's Past
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Lake Placid started in the early 1800s because of an iron ore mining business. By 1840, the area known as "North Elba" had only six families.
In 1845, a kind person named Gerrit Smith bought a lot of land here. He gave large parts of it to people who had been enslaved. Smith wanted to change land laws and strongly supported the movement to end slavery.
The famous abolitionist John Brown heard about Smith's ideas. He left his anti-slavery work in Kansas to buy land in North Elba. This land later became known as "Timbuctoo," a special community for formerly enslaved people. John Brown became known for his strong actions against slavery, which led to his raid on Harpers Ferry. He was buried on his farm in 1859, and it is now a historic site.
How Lake Placid Became a Resort Town
As people had more free time in the late 1800s, wealthy visitors discovered Lake Placid. They were drawn to the fancy Lake Placid Club. Melvil Dewey, who invented the Dewey Decimal Classification system for libraries, designed this club in 1895.
The village was inspired by the club and changed its name to Lake Placid in 1900. Dewey kept his club open during the winter starting in 1905. This helped winter sports grow in the area. Nearby Saranac Lake also hosted winter events and was known for its fresh mountain air. Many people with tuberculosis came there for treatment.
Around 1920, filmmakers started using Lake Placid for silent movies. Films like News Parade and The Avalanche were shot here.
By 1921, Lake Placid had a ski jump, a speed skating rink, and a ski group. In 1929, Godfrey Dewey, Melvil's son, convinced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Lake Placid had the best winter sports facilities in the United States. The Lake Placid Club became the main office for the IOC during the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics.
Today, you can visit several historic places in Lake Placid. These include the John Brown Farm and Gravesite, the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run, and the United States Post Office.
Major Historic Hotels
In the 1870s, three big hotels were built in Lake Placid. Many other inns also opened. Some of the most famous hotels were The Grand View Hotel, Stevens House, The Mirror Lake Inn, and The Ruisseaumont Hotel. Some of these hotels are still open today.
Sporting Events in Lake Placid
Lake Placid is famous for its history of hosting major sporting events.
Olympic Winter Games History
Lake Placid has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, in 1932 and 1980. Only two other places, St Moritz and Innsbruck, have hosted the Winter Olympics more than once.
A local resident named Jack Shea was the first person to win two gold medals at the 1932 Winter Olympics in speed skating.
The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid are especially remembered for the "Miracle on Ice" hockey game. A team of American college students and amateur players beat the strong Soviet national ice hockey team. Two days later, the U.S. team won the gold medal. Another amazing moment was when American speed-skater Eric Heiden won five gold medals.
Other International Competitions
Lake Placid continues to host big international sports events. It hosted the World University Games in 1972 and again in 2023. The village also welcomed the 2000 Goodwill Winter Games.
Regular Sporting Events
- Since 1999, Lake Placid has been home to the annual Ironman Lake Placid Triathlon. This is one of the oldest Ironman races in North America.
- The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows have been held at the North Elba Showgrounds since 1969.
- The Winter Empire State Games take place in Lake Placid every February.
- An ice dance competition is held every year in July or August at the 1980 Olympic Arena.
- CAN/AM hosts an adult pond hockey tournament on Mirror Lake in February.
- The Lake Placid Summit Classic Lacrosse Tournament has been held every year in early August since 1990, with about 250 teams participating.
Fun Things to Do in Lake Placid
Lake Placid is very popular for winter sports, especially downhill and cross-country skiing. Whiteface Mountain, located nearby, offers skiing, hiking, and gondola rides. It is the only one of the High Peaks that you can reach by car. Whiteface Mountain has a very high vertical drop, making it great for skiing. The area also has one of only 16 bobsled runs in the Western Hemisphere.
In 2010, U.S. News & World Report called Lake Placid one of North America's "6 Forgotten Vacation Spots."
Many people use Lake Placid as a starting point to climb the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondack Mountains.
Lake Placid built its first golf course in 1898, making it one of the first in the U.S. It has more golf courses than any other place in the Adirondacks. Many courses were designed by famous architects like Seymour Dunn and Alister MacKenzie. The mountains here reminded people of Scotland, where golf began, making it a perfect place for "mountain golf."
Lake Placid is also close to the West Branch of the Ausable River, which is well-known for fly fishing.
Music in Lake Placid
Lake Placid is home to the Lake Placid Sinfonietta, a professional summer orchestra that started in 1917. Musicians from New York City's Greenwich House Music School spent summers here around 1920. The opera singer George Hamlin also visited. Victor Herbert, a famous composer, owned a camp in town. The Lake Placid Club used to host concerts and big parties for many years.
Learning and Schools
- Colleges:
- North Country Community College
- Public Schools:
- Public education in Lake Placid is managed by the Lake Placid Central School District.
Lake Placid also has five private schools:
- Mountain Lake Academy
- National Sports Academy
- North Country School
- Northwood School
- St. Agnes School
Where is Lake Placid?
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village covers about 4.0 square kilometers (1.53 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a small part (about 10.79%) being water.
The village is located near the southern end of the larger Lake Placid lake. Closer to the village is Mirror Lake, which sits between the village and Lake Placid.
Climate and Nature
Lake Placid has a climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Summers are usually comfortable, but sometimes it can get hot. The highest temperature ever recorded was 97°F. June is usually the wettest month, with many thunderstorms.
Winters are very cold, and the lowest temperature ever recorded was -39°F. It snows a lot in Lake Placid, with an average of about 104 inches of snow each year.
The area around Lake Placid has forests with Northern Hardwoods and Spruce trees. Spring flowers usually bloom around May 12, and the beautiful fall colors appear around October 1.
Famous People from Lake Placid
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Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Lake Placid:
- John Brown (1800–1859), a leader in the movement to end slavery.
- Lana Del Rey (born 1985), a popular singer and songwriter.
- Melvil Dewey (1851–1931), who invented the Dewey Decimal Classification system for libraries.
- Victor Herbert (1859–1924), a famous composer who spent summers here.
- Kate Smith (1907–1986), a well-known singer.
- James Tolkan (born 1931), an actor.
Olympic Athletes from Lake Placid
Lake Placid has been home to many Olympic athletes:
- Lowell Bailey (born 1981), a biathlete.
- Ashley Caldwell (born 1993), a freestyle skier.
- Art Devlin (1922–2004), a ski jumper and sports commentator.
- Eric Heiden (born 1958), a speedskater who won five gold medals in 1980.
- Jack Shea (1910–2002), a speed skater who won two gold medals in 1932.
- Jimmy Shea (born 1968), a luger.
- Andrew Weibrecht (born 1986), an alpine skier.
Images for kids
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Lake Placid panorama, showing the High School, Olympic Center, and speed skating oval.
See also
In Spanish: Lake Placid para niños
