The Saratoga Springs-Lake George Area

 

Surrounding Mont Luzerne are some of America's most scenic and revered natural and cultural treasures -- from New York City to Montreal and the cities and towns in between. Brimming with first-class dining, arts, shopping and recreation, and serviced by top quality hospital systems, the Adirondacks region showcases a rare and vibrant quality of life. The best Main Street and the largest state park in America. A performing and visual arts mecca in Saratoga Springs. One of The National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations", superb lakes, beaches, universities, amusement parks, and one of Golf Magazine's "highest rated golf areas" in the Northeast. These accolades, and many more, reflect a place where residents care about their community, where nature is still coveted and shared by all, and where the zest for life is unmistakable. If you're in search of an idyllic vaction home or buying a second home in a magnificent setting,  and would like to experience all Saratoga Springs, Lake George, the the Adirondacks region  have to offer,  Mont Luzerne is the answer.

Lake George, nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes, is a long lake at the base of the Adirondack Mountains that extends 32.2 miles from north to south and varies from one to three miles in width. But the beautiful scenery is only part of the attraction to the area. You can also tour a spectrum of galleries and exhibits to experience world-class collections of fine arts, crafts, memorabilia and antiques. The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls has works from daVinci, El Greco, Degas, Botticelli, Renoir, Cezanne, vanGogh, Picasso and more. The Lake George and Saratoga region is also home to beaches, ballooning, scenic boat cruises, galleries, golf, historic sites, horseback riding, markets, museums, shopping, scenic train rides, seasonal activities, spectator sports, theater, theme parks, white water rafting, and much more. Toss in breathtaking vistas and waterways, and you have a truly attractive getaway for those looking for Adirondack vacation homes, care-free retirement living, or second home buying opportunities.

History was made here. And vacations are better because of it. The Lake George area has a rich historical and cultural heritage. Its Native American culture goes back  thousands of years. And here, at historical sites and museums, you can revisit turning points in our nation's history.

Samuel de Champlain, in 1609, on a journey through the upper part of New York, was told of a wonderful lake called by the Indians Andia-to-roc-te, but he never went south enough to see it. In 1642, a war party of the Iroquois, returning from Canada to their Mohawk Valley homes, passed down this lake. With them were three French prisoners, one of whom was a Jesuit priest, Father Jogues, the first of many white men who were to see this lake. To it he gave the name Lake of the Blessed Sacrament, a name that it bore for more than a century. James Fenimore Cooper wrote of this body of water as "Horicon the silvery water," But it remained for Gen. William Johnson, encamped at its head, in 1755, to give it a name in honor of his King, one that still clings, Lake George.

Life in the Lake George region is deeply textured and finely wrought. The tales the Warren County ancients told have been retold again and again, burnished to a soft shine by the cadenced passage of years. People here revere the land, honor their values, and continue a unique heritage that celebrates living together harmoniously in a setting of abundant natural beauty. Here, country life is treasured, preserved, and passed from generation to generation with a sense of obligation and a full measure of pride.

 "Society, sport and sin," in the words of one writer, made Saratoga Springs, one of America's most popular resorts in the 19th century. Today, it’s still one of the most popular tourist attractions nationwide. A wide variety of activities and attractions make Saratoga Springs a unique four-seasons destination. Visitors enjoy swimming, boating and fishing on Saratoga Lake, polo, walking tours, golf, and more than 85 restaurants and boutiques as well as an active year-around night life that boasts a variety of live music in an assortment of distinct settings.

 While visitors were initially drawn by the supposed curative powers of the waters that bubbled from the town's springs, champagne soon replaced the foul-tasting elixir as the beverage of choice. Beginning in 1802, when the first hotel was erected, Saratoga Springs became the premier see-and-be-seen destination for the socially elite from NewYork City, Boston and Montreal. In its heyday, the resort attracted a "who's who" of glamorous vacationers such as Diamond Jim Brady, who caused quite a stir when he arrived in a silver-plated railroad car. During the Civil War, three millionaires built the Saratoga Race Track and sponsored the first running of the Travers Cup, America's oldest racing event. More than a century later, the track, where the original Victorian grandstand is still in use, remains one of the town's most popular attractions. A showplace of Gilded Age architecture, the town includes 900 buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Winner of the National Historic Trust's Main Street award, Saratoga Springs has worked to preserve its Greek Revival, GothicRevival and Queen Anne buildings. The Georgian-style Gideon Putnam Hotel has welcomed guests since 1935. Just minutes from the hotel, visitors can still taste the waters that made Saratoga famous in Congress Park, which also houses Canfield Casino, one of the town's original gambling establishments. The casino includes a museum devoted to the history of the town. At the Saratoga Spa State Park, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center serves as the summer home of the New York City Ballet, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Lake George Opera as well as a  venue for a variety of rock, jazz and other concerts and festivals. During the winter months, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing beckon enthusiasts to woodland trails. The six-million-acre Adirondack Park, almost half of which is wilderness, is practically at the town's doorstep. And just a few miles to the east, the Saratoga National Battlefield Park looks much as it did in 1777, when American forces clashed with the British in one of the most decisive battles of the Revolutionary War.

Lake Luzerne, an Adirondack township in the most traditional sense, was organized as Fairfield from Queensbury April 10, 1792, changed to the present name April 6, 1808.

 

                                      Lake Luzerne's town park

Located in the southern extremity of the county, divided by two ranges of the Luzerne Mountains, it has much highland, of which a great deal has been brought under cultivation. From the chain of small lakes within its boundaries, two streams flow, the one to the Hudson, the other into Lake George, and from there reaching the St. Lawrence. The first of the settlements were started about 1770 along the Hudson, on lands leased from Ebenezer Jessup, the patentee. The village of Luzerne is the mercantile and social center of the town. The confluence of the Hudson Rivers and Great Sacandaga Rivers takes place here and provides beautiful scenery in the very center of town. Be sure to visit Papa's Restaurant, the Lake Luzerne beach and the Town Park and the many interesting buildings and Adirondack features of this quaint town. A "rodeo hole" for "extreme" kayaking was recently constructed with a recently restored antique Bow bridge above. Be sure to visit Papa's Ice Cream Parlor for one of the great "Americana" experiences in the region. Lake Luzerne is also the home of television personality Rachel Ray.

 

Papas restaurant in Lake Luzerne