Lake Placid was founded in the early 19th century to develop an iron ore mining operation. By 1840, the population of "North Elba" (four miles southeast of the present village, near where the road to the Adirondak Loj crosses the Ausable River), was six families. In 1845, the philanthropist Gerrit Smith arrived in North Elba and not only bought a great deal of land around the village but granted large tracts to former slaves. He reformed the land law and demonstrated his support of abolitionism.[2]
The abolitionist John Brown heard about Smith's reforms and left his anti-slavery activities in Kansas to buy 244 acres (1.0km2) of land in North Elba. This parcel later became known as the "Freed Slave Utopian Experiment," Timbuctoo. Brown would become known for his militant abolitionist work, which led to his raid on Harpers Ferry and his conviction for treason and murder. Shortly before his execution in 1859, John Brown asked to be buried on his farm, which remains preserved as the John Brown Farm State Historic Site.[2]
As leisure time increased in the late 19th century, Lake Placid was discovered as a resort by the wealthy, drawn to the fashionable Lake Placid Club. Melvil Dewey, who invented the Dewey Decimal System, designed what was then called "Placid Park Club" in 1895. This inspired the village to change its name to Lake Placid, an incorporated village in 1900. Dewey kept the club open through the winter in 1905, which aided the development of winter sports in the area. It often hosted national conventions.[3] Nearby Saranac Lake had hosted an international winter sporting event as early as 1889 and was used year-round by patients seeking treatment for tuberculosis at sanatoria. The fresh, clean mountain air was considered good for them and was a common treatment for tuberculosis.[4]
As the dramatic surroundings became more known to residents of New York City, filmmakers started to use Lake Placid and its surroundings for shooting silent films around 1920. Many movies, among them News Parade, Summer Bachelors, The Avalanche, and Out of the Snows, were shot in the area.[5]
By 1921, the Lake Placid area boasted a ski jump, speed skating venue, and ski association. In 1929, Godfrey Dewey, Melvil's son, convinced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Lake Placid had the best winter sports facilities in the United States.[6] The Lake Placid Club was the headquarters for the IOC for the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.[7]
The Club did not allow Jews or Catholics,[8] but there were other hotels that catered to them. Especially during and after World War Two, many cosmopolitan refugees from Hitler's Germany and Austria spent their summers in Lake Placid. Main Street was filled with fashionable shops, albeit opened only during the season.[9]
There were three major hotels built in the 1870s, and many subsequent inns flourished. Among the most prominent hotels were: The Grand View Hotel, Stevens House, The Mirror Lake Inn, The Ruisseaumont Hotel, Northwoods Inn, Hotel Marcy, Searles House, and The Homestead.[11] Some of them are still in business.
Jack Shea, a resident of the village, became the first person to win two gold medals when he doubled in speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics.[13]
In the U.S., the village is especially remembered as the 1980 USA–USSR hockey game site. Dubbed the "Miracle on Ice," a group of American college students and amateurs upset seasoned and professional Soviet national ice hockey team, 4–3, and two days later won the gold medal.[14] Another historic first was the performance of American speed-skater Eric Heiden, who won five gold medals.[15]
The Lake Placid ice dance competition is held every year in July or August in the 1980 Olympic Arena.[20]
CAN/AM hosts an adult pond hockey tournament. The Canadian American pond hockey tournament is held in February on Mirror Lake.
The Lake Placid Summit Classic Lacrosse Tournament is held every year in early August since 1990; roughly 250 teams participate.[21][22]
Recreational opportunities
Aerial view of the lake which gave the community its name
Lake Placid is well known among winter-sports enthusiasts for its skiing, both Alpine and Nordic. Whiteface Mountain (4,867ft or 1,483m), in nearby Wilmington about 13 miles (21km) from Lake Placid, offers skiing, hiking, gondola rides, and mountain biking, and is the only one of the High Peaks that can be reached by an auto road. Whiteface Mountain has a vertical elevation of 3,430 feet (1,050m), the highest vertical elevation of mountains in Eastern North America.[23][24] The area has one of only 16 bobsled runs in the Western Hemisphere.
In 2010, U.S. News & World Report highlighted Lake Placid as one of the "6 Forgotten Vacation Spots" in North America.[25]
Lake Placid built its first golf course in 1898, one of the first in the U.S., and has more courses than any other venue in the Adirondacks. Many of its courses were designed by well-known golf course architects, such as Seymour Dunn and Alister MacKenzie. The geographic features of the Adirondacks were considered reminiscent of the Scottish landscape, where the game started, and thus a fitting canvas for original play, or "mountain golf."[26]
Lake Placid is home to the Lake Placid Sinfonietta, a professional summer chamber orchestra that has existed since 1917.[28] Musicians associated with New York City's Greenwich House Music School summered in Lake Placid around 1920, as did the opera singer George Hamlin.[29]Victor Herbert was the most famous musician to own a camp in town. The Lake Placid Club offered concerts and gala festivities for decades.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (4.0km2), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4km2), or 10.79%, is water.[30]
The village is located near the southern end of Lake Placid lake. More immediate to the village is Mirror Lake, which lies between the village and Lake Placid.
As of the census[32] of 2000, there were 2,638 people, 1,303 households, and 604 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,913.2 inhabitants per square mile (738.7/km2). There were 1,765 housing units at an average density of 1,280.1 per square mile (494.2/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.75% White, 0.68% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.57% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 1,303 households, of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.1% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.6% were non-families. 45.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02, and the average family size was 2.93.
The population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $28,239, and the median income for a family was $43,042. Males had a median income of $26,585 versus $21,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,507. About 8.5% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Lake Placid has a warm-summer, humid continental climate (Dfb). Dfb climates are characterized by a least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0°F (0.0°C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0°F (10.0°C), all months with an average mean temperature < 71.6°F (22.0°C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid in Lake Placid, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > 90°F (32°C). Since 1897, the highest air temperature was 97°F (36.1°C). The average wettest month is June which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is −24.5°F (−31.4°C), corresponding to hardiness zone 4. Since 1897, the coldest air temperature was −39°F (−39.4°C). Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < −50°F (−46°C). The average annual snowfall total is 104.1 inches (264cm).
Climate data for Lake Placid, New York, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Lake Placid would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Hardwoods/Spruce (108) with a dominant vegetation form of Northern Hardwoods (23).[35] The plant hardiness zone is 4a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −27.1°F (−32.8°C).[36] The spring bloom typically peaks on approximately May 12 and fall color usually peaks around October 1.
Lake Placid panorama. High School (middle), the Olympic Center (right), and the speed skating oval
Notable residents
Singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey was raised in Lake Placid
Melville Louis Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey was an influential American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, a founder of the Lake Placid Club, and a chief librarian at Columbia University. He was also a founding member of the American Library Association. Although Dewey's contributions to the modern library are widely recognized, his legacy is marred by his sexual harassment of female colleagues, as well as his racism and antisemitism.
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States.
North Elba is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 7,480 at the 2020 census.
Wilmington is a town in northern Essex County, New York, United States located within the Adirondack Park. The population was 1,253 at the 2010 census. The town is named after the nearby town of Wilmington, Vermont.
Saranac Lake is a village in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,887, making it the largest community by population in the Adirondack Park. The village is named after Upper, Middle and Lower Saranac lakes, which are nearby.
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Lake Placid 1932, were a winter multi-sport event in the United States, held in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 13. It was the first time the Winter Games were held outside of Europe and the first of four Winter Olympics held in the United States; Lake Placid hosted again in 1980.
The body of water named Lake Placid is located in the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York, the United States. It is on the northern side of the Village of Lake Placid.
The Adirondak Loj is a historic lodge in North Elba, Essex County, New York. It is near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains. The current facility, located on the shore of Heart Lake, was built in 1927 and is owned and operated by ADK. The Loj property hosts the trailhead of the popular Van Hoevenberg Trail, which leads to Mount Marcy and Algonquin Peak, the two highest points in the state.
The Herb Brooks Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Lake Placid, New York. This surface, along with the USA Rink, was built for the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Whiteface Mountain is the fifth-highest mountain in the U.S. state of New York, and one of the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains, located in the town of Wilmington in Essex County. Set apart from most of the other High Peaks, the summit offers a 360-degree view of the Adirondacks and clear-day glimpses of Vermont and Canada, where Montreal can be seen on a very clear day. Because of its relative isolation, the mountain is exposed to prevailing winds from the west and frequently capped with snow and ice, making it an area of interest to meteorologists. Weather data has been collected on the summit since 1937. The mountain's east slope is home to a major ski area which boasts the greatest vertical drop east of the Rockies, and which hosted the alpine skiing competitions of the 1980 Winter Olympics. Unique among the High Peaks, Whiteface features a developed summit and seasonal accessibility by motor vehicle. The Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway reaches a parking area at an elevation shortly below the summit, with the remaining distance covered by tunnel and elevator. The peak can also be reached on two hiking trails.
Alpine Skiing at the 1980 Winter Olympics consisted of six alpine skiing events. The races were held February 14–23 at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, New York, northeast of host Lake Placid.
The James C Sheffield Olympic Skating Rink is an outdoor artificial ice track for speedskating in Lake Placid, New York, United States (US). The arena hosted the speedskating events at both the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. During the time between the two Olympics events, the rink hosted Lake Placid High School football games.
Northwood School is an independent co-educational boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12 located in Lake Placid, New York, in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains.
The Lake Placid Club was a social and recreation club active from 1895 to 1980. Founded in a hotel on Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, New York, under Melvil Dewey's leadership and according to his ideals, it was instrumental in Lake Placid's development as an internationally known resort. The club ceased operations on March 30th, 1980.
Mount Van Hoevenberg is a mountain summit located in the Adirondack Mountains in the Town of North Elba, Essex County, New York, about 9 miles (15 km) east-southeast of the village of Lake Placid. Named for Henry Van Hoevenberg, the mountain is best known as the location of a winter sports complex containing bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton tracks, plus a network of cross-country ski trails, which was used to host events during the 1932 (bobsleigh) and 1980 Winter Olympics.
McKenzie Mountain is a 3,861-foot (1,177 m) mountain in western Essex County in the towns of St. Armand and North Elba in the Adirondack Park, a unit of the Forest Preserve.
For the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, United States, a total of five sports venues were used. This was unchanged from the previous games in St. Moritz. For the first time in the history of the Winter Olympics, an indoor venue was used for the figure skating and six of the twelve ice hockey events at the Olympic Arena. The first bobsleigh venue outside Europe was constructed for use. Four different 18 km and five different 50 km venues were submitted for approval prior to the Olympics. After the 1932 games, three of these venues served as host for their respective championships that were held outside Europe for the first time.
The oligotrophic, circumneutral body of water called Mirror Lake is in the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York in the United States. The lake is approximately 124 acres (0.50 km2), with a watershed area of 741 acres (3.00 km2). 27% of the watershed area is developed, 51% is forested, 2% is wetlands, and 20% is surface water. The lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet (20 m) and an average depth of 14 feet (4.3 m). It is located in the village of Lake Placid, near the center of the town of North Elba in Essex County.
Godfrey Dewey was the president of the Lake Placid Organizing Committee and a winter sports facility designer. He was largely responsible for the successful candidature of Lake Placid for the 1932 Winter Olympics. In addition to his role as the U.S. ski team manager he was chosen as the flag bearer for the 1928 Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Dewey was elected to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1970.
The Olympic Center is a sports complex in Lake Placid, New York that acted as the Olympic Park for both the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. The venues inside this area is the main complex of the 2023 Winter World University Games.
↑ "Health". The Sacramento Bee. March 17, 1931. p.24.
↑ MacKenzie, Mary (2007). "Lake Placid and the Silent Film Industry". In Manchester, Lee (ed.). The Plains of Abraham. A History of North Elba and Lake Placid. Utica, New York. pp.360–362. ISBN978-0-9755224-3-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
↑ Fea, John, in Findling, John E. and Pelle, Kimberly D., editors, Encyclopedia of the Modern Olympic Movement, Greenwood Press, 2004. ISBN978-0-313-32278-5. p. 297
↑ "Dewey's Anti-Semitism". The Jewish Outlook: 3. February 10, 1905.
↑ MacKenzie, Mary (2007). "Interlaken Lodge". In Manchester, Lee (ed.). The Plains of Abraham. A History of North Elba and Lake Placid. Utica, New York. p.354.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
↑ MacKenzie, Mary (2007). "The Golden Age of Hotels". In Manchester, Lee (ed.). The Plains of Abraham. A History of North Elba and Lake Placid. Utica, New York. p.354.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
↑ Gruver, Ed (2021). Bringing the monster to its knees: Ben Hogan, Oakland Hills, and the 1951 U.S. Open. Guilford, Connecticut: Lyons Press. p.100. ISBN978-1-4930-6296-6.
MacKenzie, Mary (Autumn 1970). "A History of the Village of Lake Placid, New York". The Placid Pioneer, the Lake Placid–North Elba Historical Society Bulletin. Mackenzie was the official historian of the town of North Elba.
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