Artists & Inspiration in the Wild to Open at Adirondack Experience on July 1

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Grand Opening celebration includes array of art-related activities

Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y. – Adirondack Experience (ADKX) will hold a grand opening celebration for “Artists & Inspiration in the Wild” on Sat., July 1. This permanent exhibit, which showcases an inclusive and wide-reaching interpretation of Adirondack art, is the most comprehensive showing of the museum’s art and design collections in its history. In celebration of the exhibition unveiling, the day will be filled with art-related activities and programming, including artist demonstrations, live music, live muralling and screen-printing.

ADKX is inviting visitors to the opening with a fun-filled day devoted to art and art-making. At 12 p.m., there will be an official ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Nancy Reardon Sayer, chair of the ADKX Board of Trustees, David Kahn, executive director of ADKX and artists Takeyce Walter and Benjamin “Ben” Benedict. Afterwards, visitors will be invited to explore the exhibit or participate in the wide array of activities that will be available across the campus.

“Five years in the making and we’re finally able to share Artists & Inspiration in the Wild with the public,” said Chief Curator, Laura Rice. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome visitors into the space and give them the opportunity to connect with the Adirondack landscape through multiple generations’ worth of art.”

“For ADKX to now house the largest exhibition devoted to Adirondack art in the world is an incredible achievement,” said Kahn. “The collection speaks to the history, culture, and natural beauty of the region, and our grand opening celebration marks the beginning of telling that story from the perspective of our talented artists.”

The day-long event promises to be an interactive and dynamic experience. Throughout the day, ADKX will be abuzz with plein air painters, live muralling, screen-printing, games, and a chance to enjoy ADKX’s premiere new experience. Guests of all ages will get to enjoy live music performed by Jamcrackers and Warden & Co. and engage in activities provided by artists, including:

  • Print the Park! Botanical Sun Prints with ADK ArtRise (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM)

ADK ArtRise will be making a piece of art about summer, sun, and the beauty of nature in the Adirondack Park. The piece will be made by exposing “cyanotype” paper that turns a beautiful blue once developed. ADK ArtRise will supply materials and various botanicals for visitors to create a unique print to take home as well as one to contribute to the overall piece – a one-of-a-kind artwork made of multiple prints, which will have a permanent home at ADKX.   

  • Soul & Ink (10:00 AM – 5:00 PM)

Soul & Ink, a live screen-printing team, will be on site all day creating a custom-designed commemorative print, available only on July 1st. The first 500 visitors will receive a free print to bring home.

  • Write About Art With the Adirondack Center for Writing

At the Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) table, visiting writer Erin Dorney will be on hand with guided, family-friendly prompts for visitors to reflect on the art they experienced in the new Artists & Inspiration in the Wild exhibit. Visitors can also add their writing to the ACW Poetry Machine to be shared with readers across the Adirondacks!

Some of the exhibition’s featured artists will also be on campus throughout the day, including:

  • Barney Bellinger – A self-taught painter and sculptor whose work has been exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art and appears in the permanent collections of the Orvis Company and the Smithsonian Institution.
  • Carrie Hill – A Mohawk basketmaker, Hill is Haudenosaunee from Akwesasne Mohawk Territory and owner of Chill Baskets. In 2014 she began pursuing her family tradition of weaving black ash splints and sweetgrass basket making. Her work has been sent all over the world including an entire collection representing the Haudenosaunee People for the U.S. Embassy in Swaziland, Africa.
  • Takeyce Walter – A Jamaican native, award-winning contemporary American painter and art instructor, Walter creates paintings that present the landscape in all its glory—flowing rivers, majestic skies, and picturesque lakes. Her work has found homes in many private collections across the country and internationally, including local museum and hospital collections.

This exhibition was made possible in part by Empire State Development Corporation, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Service and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Adirondack Experience is extremely grateful to the generous donors, foundations, and corporations who supported Artists & Inspiration in the Wild.

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About Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 24 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121-acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The ADKX offers a broad range of programs and activities including special and permanent exhibitions, the 19,000-square-foot Life in the Adirondacks interactive exhibition, and an outdoor hiking and boating experience on Minnow Pond. ADKX offers daily activities with artisans-in-residence, workshops, lectures, nature walks, family and educational programs, and signature events like the Rustic Furniture Fair, FallFest, and the Adirondack Artisan Festival. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

ADIRONDACK EXPERIENCE NOW OPEN FOR 2023 SEASON

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121-Acre Campus Offers Fun, Interactive and Educational Activities for All Ages

Blue Mountain Lake, NY (May 26, 2023)— Adirondack Experience (ADKX) is now open for its 2023 season, inspiring visitors to learn and connect with all-things Adirondack, past and present. In addition to its expansive list of ongoing daily offerings, ADKX is pleased to welcome the return of its hands-on workshops for the first time in several years. Also new this year is the permanent exhibition Artists & Inspiration in the Wild[CB1]  set to open on July 1. As part of the new exhibition, the museum will welcome nine regional artists to create on-site throughout the summer for its new Inspired by the Adirondacks Artist-In-Residence program. It will once again host its most popular festivals, such as Adirondack Artisan Festival, Mushroom Mania, Rustic Furniture Fair, Xperience For All, and FallFest.

“This is our 66th season opening, and we are excited to continue fascinating visitors with several new offerings, our inspiring permanent exhibitions, and by bringing back our popular creative workshops,” said Executive Director David Kahn. “It’s my favorite time of year – to see the campus come alive with activity and see how travelers from near and far connect with different parts of campus. There really is something that touches everyone.”

Exhibit Highlights

  • On July 1, ADKX will open Artists & Inspiration in the Wild, a new permanent exhibit that will showcase an inclusive and wide-reaching interpretation of Adirondack art across centuries. The interactive exhibit will feature more than 250 works acrossfour main galleries that illustrate how the natural features of the Adirondacks – light, forests, water, and mountains – have sparked the creative visions of diverse painters, sculptors, and expert artisans.
  • ADKX encourages visitors to start their journey on campus with Life in the Adirondacks, a 19,000-square-foot immersive installation that introduces visitors to the Adirondack Park with videos, historical objects, and artifacts.
  • Scarred Landscape: The Adirondack Photographs of J. Henry Fair explores the impact of human activity on the Adirondack Park, especially the scarring of the landscape as a result of mining, agriculture, industry, recreation, and climate change. This temporary exhibit opened during the 2022 season and will remain on display through the end of the 2023 season.    
  • Boats and Boating, which illustrates the importance of boats to the region and features more than 50 vintage boats to view and explore.

New Workshops and Artist- in-Residence Programs

A full schedule of events and roster of participating artists will be available on the ADKX website in the coming weeks.

  • Workshops have returned to ADKX with a variety of options. ADKX has partnered with ADK ArtRise to offer programs such as a glass etching date night and nail string art. Other available workshops include paint programs with Patrice, taxidermy trainings, and paint and skip movement classes.
  • The Indigenous Artist-in-Residence program will welcome 11 Akwesasne Mohawk artists to demonstrate their artistry and unique craft. Artists will be located in the Life in the Adirondacks exhibition on select dates from June to September.  
  • Inspired by the Adirondacks Artist-in-Residence program, nine regional artists will be on campus throughout July and August to demonstrate their artistic process.

Outdoors Highlights

  • Visitors are able to borrow a range of boats at the ADKX Boathouse, including a rotating collection of vintage canoes, traditional guideboats, and rowboats, to enjoy upon Minnow Pond, a roughly 90-acre body of water above Blue Mountain Lake.
  • Minnow Pond Trail is an easy ¾-mile walk, suitable for the whole family, to discover Minnow Pond, known as a “gem in the wilderness,” by foot.
  • Blue View Trail offers a short, vigorous route for more experienced hikers. From the higher vantage point, the views of Blue Mountain Lake are even more breathtaking. The Blue View Trail can be accessed as a spur off the Minnow Pond Trail.

ADKX will be open every day, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., through October 9, 2023. For additional information and updates, visit www.theadkx.org.  

About Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 24 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121-acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The ADKX offers a broad range of programs and activities including special and permanent exhibitions, the 19,000-square-foot Life in the Adirondacks interactive exhibition, and an outdoor hiking and boating experience on Minnow Pond. ADKX offers daily activities with artist-in-residence, workshops, lectures, nature walks, family and educational programs, and signature events like the Rustic Furniture Fair, FallFest, and the Adirondack Artisan Festival. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

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 [CB1]No commas around title here

Artists & Inspiration in the Wild to Be Unveiled at Adirondack Experience

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Largest Permanent Exhibition Devoted to Adirondack Art in the World

Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y. – Adirondack Experience (ADKX) is excited to announce “Artists & Inspiration in the Wild,” the most comprehensive showing of the museum’s art and decorative collections in its history. The permanent exhibit showcases an inclusive and wide-reaching interpretation of Adirondack art across centuries – from the renowned artists such as Thomas Cole, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, Seneca Ray Stoddard and Rockwell Kent to the groundbreaking, such as Edna West Teall, Glenn Hill, Takeyce Walter and Niio Perkins. The exhibition will open to the public on July 1, 2023.

Over five years in the making, Artists & Inspiration in the Wild will feature more than 250 works acrossfour main galleries that illustrate how the natural features of the Adirondacks – light, forests, water, and mountains – have sparked the creative visions of diverse painters, sculptors and expert artisans. To further enhance the visitor experience, Artists & Inspiration in the Wild features innovative social interactives throughout the exhibit to offer visitors the opportunity to engage with the collection in new ways such as:

  • A large ceiling projection based on works from the collection that introduce the four galley themes.
  • Inspirational Meet the Artists videos, which show artists at work in their studios and out in the wild.  
  • Carefully composed Ambient Audioscapes of the natural sounds that relate to each gallery’s principal theme – from pattering rain drops to birds chirping or rustling leaves.
  • Using physical sliders to change the season or time of day, visitors can use the Lighting a Landscape Painting to see how an artist creates mood. 
  • Welcome to My Studio provides a window into Adirondack artist Barney Bellinger’s studio space and invites visitors to enter the ADKX Art Lab, where visitors can make their own artwork inspired by the Adirondacks.

Each of the four natural elements is the driving force behind the creative works on display in each gallery. Pieces have been thoughtfully arranged to include intriguing context such as a Mohawk basket and a landscape painting that speak to the healing and peace of nature; an Adirondack chair and a cradleboard warning about climate change; and an 1880 painting and photograph that demonstrate technology’s impact on art. Works will range from an 12th century potsherd from an unknown Indigenous artist to an 1870s oil painting that served as an early visual recording of the Adirondack landscape to lavish dinner plates from the Great Camps, manuscripts from the ADKX Library, baskets that signified friendship and pottery and portraits that connect to contemporary issues of today.

“The art really speaks to how nature in the Adirondacks is such a powerful force in human creativity,” said Chief Curator, Laura Rice. “So many artists making work with different materials, in different time periods, from different perspectives, yet they all share this deep sense of connection to the Adirondack landscape. The results are stunning, especially when we bring these pieces together in one space.”

A few of the artists who will have work on display include:  

  • Barney Bellinger – A painter and sculptor, Bellinger’s work has evolved from customized motorcycles and cars to carved gold leaf signs to organic furniture built with natural materials from the forest. This self-taught artist gained his knowledge from books, inherited wisdom and immersing himself in the beauty of the Adirondacks. His work has been exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art and appears in the permanent collections of the Orvis Company and the Smithsonian Institution; it is also widely sought after and collected privately.
  • Carrie Hill – A Mohawk Basket Maker, Hill is Haudenosaunee from Akwesasne Mohawk Territory and owner of Chill Baskets. In 2014, she left her position at the Mohawk School in Hogansburg, NY to pursue her family tradition of weaving black ash splints and sweetgrass basket making full time. Her work has been sent all over the world including an entire collection representing the Haudenosaunee People for the U.S. Embassy in Swaziland, Africa.
  • Takeyce Walter – A Jamaican native, award-winning contemporary American painter and art instructor, Walter currently resides in upstate New York. Working with oil paint and pastels, Walter creates paintings that present the landscape in all its glory—flowing rivers, majestic skies, and picturesque lakes. Her work has found homes in many private collections across the country and internationally, including local museum and hospital collections.

“The range and depth of regional art in this exhibition is something you would find in metropolitan galleries and we’re fortunate to share this comprehensive collection in the heart of the Adirondacks,” said Executive Director, David Kahn. “By viewing and interacting with the artists’ personal creative process, we hope visitors feel inspired and more connected to the Adirondacks in their own way.”

This exhibition was made possible in part by The Institute of Museum and Library Service, The National Endowment for the Humanities and the New York State Council on the Arts.

The Adirondack Experience is extremely grateful to the generous donors, foundations, and corporations who supported Artists & Inspiration in the Wild.

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About Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 24 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121-acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The ADKX offers a broad range of programs and activities including special and permanent exhibitions, the 19,000-square-foot Life in the Adirondacks interactive exhibition, and an outdoor hiking and boating experience on Minnow Pond. ADKX offers daily activities with artisans-in-residence, workshops, lectures, nature walks, family and educational programs, and signature events like the Rustic Furniture Fair, FallFest, and the Adirondack Artisan Festival. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

Adirondack Experience to Open Exhibition of New Photographs By Acclaimed Artist and Environmental Activist J. Henry Fair

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Scarred Landscape Illuminates Human Impact on the Adirondack Park

On View July 1 – October 10, 2022

New York, NY—June 15, 2022—On July 1, the Adirondack Experience (ADKX) will open the special exhibition Scarred Landscape: The Adirondack Photographs of J. Henry Fair. The presentation, which was developed especially for ADKX, will feature 12 large-scale aerial photographs that capture sites of environmental damage in the Adirondack landscape. Over the course of his illustrious multi-decade career, Fair has leveraged the power of photography to tell the stories of people and nature, focusing in particular on the impact of human activity on the environment. The forthcoming exhibition will engage viewers with the beauty of Fair’s work, while also drawing critical attention to urgent environmental concerns. Scarred Landscape also dovetails with ADKX’s ongoing virtual program series, Adirondacks for All, which explores the ways in which experiences of inequity in the Adirondacks relate to issues of preservation, pollution, and access to land, water, and nature. The exhibition will remain on view through October 10, 2022.

“Scarred Landscape is an opportunity to continue our active engagement with both the history and future of the Adirondack Park, which includes examining the impact of leisure, commercial, and industrial activities on the landscape and wildlife. This exhibition also captures the importance of art to fostering new thinking, understanding, and dialogues about issues significant to us,” said David Kahn, Executive Director of ADKX. “We are pleased that we could present this exhibition in tandem with the Adirondacks for All program series, allowing our audiences to connect with this subject in different and dynamic ways.”

Although the six million acres that comprise the Adirondack Park are protected lands, the area has not been spared environmental damage. Scarred Landscape looks in particular at the impacts of industrial activity like mining and paper manufacturing, tourism and major events such as the 1980 Olympics, and global climate change. These effects are often masked by the majestic beauty of the Adirondacks as experienced from the ground, but the realities of the damage are undeniable in Fair’s monumentally-scaled aerial images, which range in size from 30 x 42 inches to 50 x 72 inches. Among the selection of photographs in Scarred Landscape are images of waste waters at Newton Falls, detritus at the Tahawus mine, the McKeever Mills ruin, and the Whiteface Mountain observatory, trail, and highway.

“The power of J. Henry Fair’s photographs is in their incredible beauty. At first glance some look like abstract canvases. But as you look more closely, you of course realize that they present much deeper, more complicated, and urgent scenes,” said Laura Rice, Chief Curator at ADKX. “Although these photographs capture sites of damage, the exhibition is equally about hope and the possibility of change. By bringing the issues to the fore through art, we can engage and intervene in these processes, assuring the protection of the Adirondacks into the future.”

About J. Henry Fair

J. Henry Fair  is an American photographer and environmental activist. Known for his “chillingly beautiful” (Audubon Magazine) environmental aerial photos, Fair has called attention to the environmental challenges in different regions of the world for many years, often connecting those concerns with other social and political issues. His work has won him numerous recognitions. In 2020, he was featured as one of the 12 most influential nature and conservation photographers of our time in the newly released book Human Nature, which received wide critical acclaim. In 2019, he won the distinction of “Environmental Photography of the Year”, and in 2012, he received the “Earth Through A Lens” Award. Fair has also published three photography books, including the critically acclaimed Industrial Scars, which was reviewed by the New York Times. He holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Fordham University. He is currently based between New York City and Berlin.

About Adirondacks for All

Adirondacks for All: Identity & Environmental Justice in the North Country is an eight-part virtual program series that explores experiences of inequity and oppression in the Adirondacks and the ways in which those realities connect with issues of preservation, pollution, and access to land, water, and nature more broadly. It is being developed by ADKX in partnership with the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, The Wild Center, and the Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and is supported in part by a $50,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. To oversee the development of the program, ADKX has hired Erik Reardon, a professor and scholar whose work has focused in particular on environmental history and Native American histories. The events are free to the public, but require online pre-registration.

Additional information about upcoming programs is available on the events page of the ADKX website at www.theadkx.org.

About the Adirondack Experience

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 20 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121- acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

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Adirondack Experience to Open its 2022 Season on May 27

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Offering Spectrum of Indoor and Outdoor Activities To Connect with the Culture, History, and Natural Beauty of the Adirondacks

New York, NY—May 12, 2022—On May 27, the Adirondack Experience (ADKX) will open for its 2022 season, inviting visitors to once again engage with the culture, history, and natural beauty of the Adirondacks. Situated on an 121-acre campus, ADKX offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities, from interactive gallery installations that capture the experiences of the different peoples of the region to opportunities for boating, hiking, and enjoying the magnificent landscapes. In addition to its ongoing daily offerings, ADKX will host a spectrum of both in-person and virtual programs this season, including workshops and talks with local artists and artisans and explorations of nature with experts and enthusiasts. Its most popular festivals will also return this season, including the Plein Air Festival, Adirondack Artisan Festival, Mohawk and Abenaki Art Market, Rustic Furniture Fair, and FallFest. ADKX will be open every day, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., through October 10, 2022. Information about season highlights follows below, with additional details updating and available on the ADKX website at www.theadkx.org.  

“Every season, we curate a dynamic range of  in-gallery presentations and outdoor experiences to seamlessly unite the culture and nature of the Adirondacks. We encourage visitors to spend an hour or a day, enjoying artworks and artifacts from our vast collection or taking in the spectacular views of Blue Mountain Lake and its surroundings. Our vision is to reveal the singularity of the Adirondacks in its convergence of a majestic wilderness with a robust history of its people,” said David Kahn, Executive Director of ADKX.

In the Galleries

Starting on May 27, visitors can explore Life in the Adirondacks, a 19,000-square-foot immersive exploration of the Adirondack Park and its people. The expansive exhibition captures the history of the Park’s development, the stories of the people who have called the Adirondacks home, and the captivating relationships between the wilderness and humanity. The installation includes first-person accounts through a wide range of videos as well as interactives that invite visitors to experience some of the activities of labor and leisure that have shaped the region. Among the highlights are presentations of Mohawk and Abenaki cultures, past and present, including a selection of artworks and artifacts, video interviews, and language learning stations.

In late June, ADKX will begin a series of public demonstrations led by Akwesasne Mohawk artists, including Glenn Hill, Carrie Hill, Natasha Smoke Santiago, Wilma Cook Zumpano, Eric Sunday, Robin Lazore, Anna Thompson, and Kelly Back. The demonstrations will engage visitors in a spectrum of traditional and contemporary artmaking techniques, with a particular focus on basket making and beadwork, and take place every Wednesday to Sunday in the galleries during open hours. The artists program is a singular opportunity to learn more about Indigineous culture, experience the beauty of the artworks, and connect with art by understanding a broad range of handmade processes. The series will kick-off on June 29 with Glenn Hill, who is a guitar maker and luthier. While in the galleries, he will explore the ways in which his native heritage and contemporary experiences inspire his music and instrument making. Hill’s A’no’wa:ra O’no’: wa (pronounced Ah-no-wah-la Oh-no-wah), an electric guitar that features imagery influenced by Haudenosaunee tattoos and Mohawk culture, is in ADKX’s permanent collection. A full schedule and roster of participating artists will be available on the ADKX website in the coming weeks.

On July 1, ADKX will open a special exhibition titled Scarred Landscape: The Adirondack Photographs of J. Henry Fair. Over the course of his career, J. Henry Fair has leveraged the power of photography to tell the stories of people and nature. In this upcoming exhibition, he explores the impact of human activity on the Adirondack Park, especially the scarring of the landscape as a result of mining, agriculture, industry, recreation, and climate change. These effects are often masked by the majestic beauty of the Adirondack wilderness as experienced from the ground, but the realities of the damage are undeniable in Fair’s monumentally-scaled aerial images. Deeply affecting, Fair’s imagery, captured especially for this presentation, both reveals the damage wrought on the North Country landscape and serves to inspire action to heal and protect the environment.

Over the course of the season, ADKX will host a range of evening events. On July 27, EMERGE125, a Black female-led hub for dance performance, creation, and education that operates in Harlem and Lake Placid, will debut three dance pieces inspired by the spirit of the Adirondacks. The performance is choreographed by the company’s artistic director Tiffany Rea-Fisher. On August 17, Crackin’ Foxy, ukulele-driven ensemble from Saranac Lake, will play at ADKX. The quintet is inspired by Traditional New Orleans Jazz but plays with a fresh and joyful energy all its own. Additional details about evening events can be found on the events page of the ADKX website.

Outdoor Activities and Experiences

On July 1, the ADKX Boathouse and Minnow Pond Trail will reopen to visitors. Minnow Pond is a roughly 90-acre waterbody above Blue Mountain Lake. Located at approximately 2,000 feet in elevation, the pond’s shoreline consists of coniferous and deciduous forests as well as wetlands. Visitors can take in this serene pond, which is home to loons, otters, beavers, wood ducks, frogs, salamanders, and a variety of fish, by borrowing a vintage canoe or a historic wooden guideboat at the ADKX Boathouse. The pond is open to boaters of varying skill levels, and staff at the Boathouse can help determine the best boat for one’s experience. 

If visitors prefer to take in the beautiful surroundings by land, they can walk the family-friendly Minnow Pond Trail or the more advanced Blue View Trail. In addition to the experience of nature, the trails feature markers that detail the connections between land, water, and people in the Adirondacks. For those who are interested in a guided experience, ADKX offers regular Nature Walks with Naturalist Ed Kanze, who shares his incredible knowledge of flora, fauna, and the history of the Adirondacks in his hour-long expeditions suitable and fun for individuals of all ages.

This season, ADKX will also host two Mushroom Walks, on August 14 and 28.Led by mushroom enthusiast Susan Hopkins, participants will have the opportunity to discover different species of fungi. Hopkins, who learned to identify fungi through her 40-year membership in the New Jersey Mycological Association, will share her knowledge about each of the found fungi during the hour-and-a-half-long walks near Minnow Pond. On August 20, ADKX will host Mushroom Mania, a day of talks, workshops, and activities centered around the wondrous mushroom.

More information, including details about registration, timings, and participation guidelines, for events is available on the ADKX website, theadkx.org, with details updating regularly.

About the Adirondack Experience

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 20 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121- acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

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New Eight-Part Virtual Program Series Exploring Racial and Environmental Justice to Kick-off on May 31

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Hosted by the Adirondack Experience, Series to Feature Wide Range of Voices Exploring the History and Contemporary Experiences of Diverse Communities in the Adirondacks

New York, NY—April 26, 2022—The Adirondack Experience (ADKX) announced today that it will present an eight-part virtual program series focused on examining the intersections between racial and environmental justice. Titled Adirondacks for All: Identity & Environmental Justice in the North Country, the series will explore experiences of inequity and oppression in the Adirondacks and the ways in which those realities connect with issues of preservation, pollution, and access to land, water, and nature more broadly. Adirondacks for All is being developed in partnership with several local organizations, including the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, The Wild Center, and The Nature Conservancy in the Adirondacks, and is supported in part by a $50,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. To oversee the development of the program, ADKX has also hired Erik Reardon, a professor and scholar whose work has focused in particular on environmental history and Native American histories.

The series will kick off on May 31, at 7:00 p.m., with a conversation between Curt Stager, a scientist, educator, and author whose research deals with climate change and ecological histories of lakes and landscapes; Dave Fadden (Akwesasne Mohawk), an artist, storyteller, and writer from Onchiota; and Tim Messner, a professor of archeology at SUNY Potsdam. Titled Deep History and Belonging in the Adirondacks, the talk will explore the human history of the Adirondacks and consider the ways in which recent archeological discoveries have pushed the boundaries of scientific and historical knowledge and helped to shape larger discussions of belonging, ownership, stewardship, and the concept of wilderness itself. This will be followed on June 14 with a program featuring Aaron Mair, a 30-year wilderness expert, environmental justice pioneer, and advisor to the White House’s Commission for Environmental Quality for both the Clinton and Obama administrations. This program will focus on the history of the Black Suffrage Settlement movement and its relationship to ongoing conservation efforts in the Hudson Valley.

A full slate of series programs will be announced in the coming weeks, with additional information and updates available on the events page of the ADKX website at www.adkx.org. The events are free to the public but require online pre-registration. Once visitors are registered, they will receive all necessary information to access the virtual programs.

The Adirondacks, established in 1892, have long been celebrated as one of the nation’s signature conservation achievements. A unique patchwork of residential hamlets and forest preserve, the park’s extensive network of woods, waters, and high peaks have inspired generations of residents and visitors seeking their own “Forever Wild” experience. And yet, beneath the surface, and inside the park’s blue line, legacies of dispossession, systemic racism, and inequality contribute to the unfortunate sense that the Adirondacks belong to some, but not others. At the same time, the challenges of climate change and environmental destruction have increased the urgency to maintain and enhance the region’s historic commitments to conservation and preservation. These converging realities have made it essential to confront the systems and structures that have prevented the Adirondacks from living up to the democratic ideal on which they were established: for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure.”

Adirondacks for All is core to ADKX’s vision to reexamine and expand the narratives that have shaped common understandings of the Adirondacks and to shed new light on the experiences of diverse communities in the region. Equally, the series considers and challenges the traditional boundaries of environmental justice by making active connections to social and racial justice movements of past and present. Adirondacks for All lays an important foundation for the museum’s ongoing work to bring attention to these issues as well as to establish ongoing partnerships and opportunities for dialogue and solution-building with its community. It follows ADKX’s 2020 virtual program series, The Black Experience in the Adirondacks, which highlighted the systemic racism that Black people face in a region where the residents and visitors are overwhelmingly white. These programs are intended to encourage mutual understanding and to support the development of new approaches and policies that will encourage diversity in tourism and community development in the Adirondacks.

As the Project Director for the series, Reardon has worked with leadership from ADKX and its partner organizations as well as several project advisors to apply an expansive environmental justice lens to the history and present-day realities of the Adirondacks. The group is working to harmonize discussions about diversity, advocacy, policy, preservation, and natural and human history to offer a holistic framework for public engagement. Over the course of the series, speakers will explore critical questions such as:
● Whose stories are being told when we celebrate multi-generational attachment to Adirondack land and water?
● Who, historically, have been the beneficiaries of conservation and preservation in the region?
● How have diverse communities, including those of Indigenous peoples and Black and African American people, found meaning and inspiration from the Adirondacks?
● What are the challenges and solutions to bringing greater diversity and experience to the Adirondacks?

About Erik Reardon
Erik Reardon is an environmental historian specializing in Indigenous and Euro-American relationships with rivers and the historic dimensions of fisheries conservation and dam removal. He received his PhD from the University of Maine and has taught as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Colby College and Bates College. This past July, his book Managing the River Commons: Fishing and New England’s Rural Economy was published by the University of Massachusetts Press as part of their series, Environmental History of the Northeast. He joined ADKX in March 2022 as Project Director to lead the development of Adirondacks for All: Identity & Environmental Justice in the North Country.

About the Upcoming Series Speakers
Curt Stager is a scientist, educator, and author whose research deals with climate change and deep ecological histories of lakes and landscapes around the world. His work has been published in prominent technical journals such as Science as well as periodicals such as National Geographic and the New York Times. He co-hosts Natural Selections, a weekly science program on North Country Public Radio. Stager is the author of four books, most recently, Still Waters: The Secret World of Lakes. He teaches natural sciences and holds an endowed research chair at Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York. In 2013, the Carnegie-Case Foundation named him Science Professor of the Year for New York State.

Dave Fadden (Akwesasne Mohawk), an artist, storyteller, and writer from Onchiota. His subjects range from traditional Haudenosaunee teachings to intimate and inspired portrayals of community members. Fadden was recently invited to reimagine a living wetland exhibit at The Wild Center (Tupper Lake, NY) from a Haudenosaunee perspective. Future ventures include a partnership with the John Brown Farm Historic Site (Lake Placid, NY) and a project with Akwesasne Tourism in which he will serve as lead art consultant and designer for an outdoor community project. His work can be seen at the Six Nations Indian Museum in Onchiota, a family-run facility founded in 1954 by his grandparents. Today, he continues the work to break down stereotypes and advance accurate understandings of Mohawk and Haudenosaunee culture.

Tim Messner is an Associate Professor in Archeology at the State University of New York, Potsdam. He moved to Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) territory in 2012, and soon became deeply interested in the Indigenous history of the Adirondack uplands. He has spent the last decade exploring the Adirondacks for recreational and scholarly pursuits. Messner earned a doctorate from Temple University in 2008 and did his postdoctoral work at the Smithsonian. Prior to joining SUNY Potsdam, he was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is a father, a wanna-be craftsman, and low-level food producer.

Aaron Mair is a 30-year wilderness expert, environmental justice pioneer, and advisor to the White House’s Commission for Environmental Quality for both the Clinton and Obama administrations. Mair was the first African American president of the Sierra Club and is well-known for his work in environmental justice.

About the Adirondack Experience
Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 20 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121- acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The
museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

About Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI)
The Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI) exists at the intersection of environmental and transformational justice, working to make the Adirondacks a more welcoming and inclusive place for both residents and visitors, while ensuring a vital and sustainable Adirondack Park for future generations of Black, Indegenous, and Other People of Color. Our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) work focuses on building culturally consciousness communities, businesses, and organizations by expanding cultural and critical consciousness around issues of systemic racism and structural oppression. We empower communities with the tools and strategies needed to take action, while expanding access to unique Adirondack opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

About The Wild Center
The Wild Center invites visitors to explore new ways that people and nature can thrive in the Adirondacks. Located in Tupper Lake, NY the Center uses science-based experiences, exhibits and programs to open new ways to look into the relationship that people have with nature and to promote environmental best practices. A 54,000-square-foot facility, The Wild Center features outdoor space, live animals, and its popular Wild Walk, an elevated trail across the Adirondack treetops. The Center is currently open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program is a global initiative that convenes, engages and inspires young people to take action in their schools and communities. The youth climate summit model has inspired over 100 summits in 9 countries. To learn more visit www.wildcenter.org

The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 76 countries and territories: 37 by direct conservation impact and 39 through partners, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.

ADKX to Open Exhibition Exploring the Contributions of Adirondack People to World War II and Impact of War on the Region

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From Wilderness to Warfront Features Stories of Personal Resilience and Innovation, Many Previously Unknown

ADKX to Kick-Off Summer Season with Exhibition-Inspired Day of Celebration On July 1, 2021

Blue Mountain Lake, NY—June 28, 2021—With its public reopening on July 1, the Adirondack Experience (ADKX) will present a special exhibition focused on the contributions of Adirondack people to America’s World War II effort. The exhibition, developed in conjunction with the war’s 80th anniversary, captures the impact of the war on the Adirondacks, through both the experiences of the men and women who left to serve and those who stayed behind in the region. Titled From Wilderness to Warfront: The Adirondacks and World War II, the show features an extensive array of artifacts and ephemera, including photographs and scrapbooks; letters and journal entries; military uniforms and insignia; advertisements, signage, and graphic works that advanced the war effort at home and abroad; and a wide range of other objects. From Wilderness to Warfront also includes oral histories from two Adirondack veterans—Private Charlie Smith and Lt. Colonel David Hanning—whose recollections and stories are captured for the first time as part of the exhibition. Those histories will also live on the ADKX website. The show will remain on view through ADKX’s summer season, closing on September 30, 2021

To celebrate the formal opening of the summer season and to engage audiences further with the exhibition, ADKX will host a day of activities inspired by the World War II era. From 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on July 1, visitors will be able to enjoy big band sounds from the 1940s in a festive outdoor environment, decorated with red, white, and blue bunting and banners. Children will be able to draw their own “dog tags” and pose like Rosie the Riveter in a photo area, with images available to take home. Smith and Hanning will also be onsite to greet and talk to visitors about their experiences and the exhibition.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the public back to ADKX for the summer season and to share this exhibition, which offers an opportunity to explore the incredible contributions of Adirondack people to this critical moment in our global history. Many of the objects in the exhibition are on loan from current and former residents of the Adirondacks, so it is a particularly intimate and community focused presentation,” said David Kahn, ADKX’s Executive Director. “We look forward to seeing people at the museum and on campus on July 1 for our opening celebration, which captures the spirit of the exhibition, and throughout the season.”

From Wilderness to Warfront covers a wide range of topics relating to the war effort, from America’s entry into World War II to the experiences of soldiers and nurses in training and on the field to the challenges faced by communities in the Adirondacks and across the United States, and through to the healing and rebuilding that took place after the war. Each of these subjects is illuminated through both objects of national relevance, such as propaganda produced by the government and circulated through the press, and personal effects that capture memories and responses in journal entries and letters. Together, this mix of communal and individual artifacts and ephemera highlight the impact of international and national happenings on people’s individual lives, making the exhibition a particularly singular exploration of the way Adirondack communities were affected by the global conflict.

The exhibition features a selection of stories about individuals from the Adirondacks, including, for

example, Gladys Hunt (1915-2008) from Indian Lake, who enlisted in the Army Nurse corps in 1943 and served on the frontlines in hospitals in France, Holland, and Germany. After Hunt was honorably discharged in 1946, she enrolled in Pratt Institute, where she focused on designing one of the first truly wheelchair-accessible kitchens, inspired by her work with soldiers who were disabled. Although she received very little credit for her innovations, she was instrumental in furthering modern accessible design. Another example is Clarence Petty (1905-2009) from Coreys near Saranac Lake, who enlisted in 1942 and served as a transport pilot in the Pacific. After the war, he returned to the Adirondacks and put his flying skills to use as a ranger in the NY Department of Environmental Conservation. He became the first person to extinguish a forest fire by dumping water from an airplane, and his outspoken commitment to conservation contributed to the creation of the Adirondack Park Agency. These narratives are just two of the many featured in the show, which also include the important contributions of members of the Mohawk Nation as well as the experiences of refugees who resettled in the Adirondacks following the war.

“It was important to us that this exhibition speak to the lived experiences of people from this region. This exhibition is really the first to examine the different ways that the people from the Adirondacks contributed to the war but also shaped life following it, both in this region and well beyond. We’re so delighted by the individual histories we’ve been able to bring to light, and think audiences will be surprised and inspired by the many people that are represented in the exhibition,” said Laura Rice, ADKX’s Chief Curator.

About Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 20 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121- acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

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The Adirondack Experience Announces Summer 2021 Reopening

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121-Acre Campus Offers Exciting Indoor and Outdoor Recreation for Visitors of All Ages

Blue Mountain Lake, NY (May 11, 2021)—The Adirondack Experience (ADKX), a sprawling 121-acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks, will open its 2021 summer season in two phases. From May 28 through June 27, ADKX members will be able to access both the onsite art and history museum and full range of outdoor activities on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This early access benefit is available to existing members as well as individuals and families who sign up in the coming months. On July 1, ADKX will open to the public, with the campus available every day from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. As organizations continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, ADKX is operating under state-mandated capacity limits and will require visitors to wear masks, both in and outdoors. ADKX also encourages visitors to purchase advance timed tickets, especially for any groups of more than two. Ticket purchase will also be available onsite. Additional information regarding visitation is available on ADKX’s updated website at theadkx.org.

Things to Do Indoors

At the core of ADKX is an expansive museum that explores the history of the Adirondacks through the region’s people and their relationships to the magnificent landscapes and wildlife. ADKX encourages visitors to start their journey on campus with Life in the Adirondacks, a 19,000-square-foot immersive installation that introduces visitors to the Adirondack Park with videos, artworks and artefacts, and interactive elements that actively engage audiences of all ages. Another popular ongoing exhibition is Boats and Boating, which illustrates the importance of boats to the region and features more than 50 vintage boats to view and explore. Among the special presentations for the 2021 season is the exhibition, From Wilderness to Warfront: The Adirondacks and World War II. The show features letters, military uniforms, and other artefacts that capture stories of courage and resilience in the face of global conflict among people from the Adirondacks. More details on indoor activities at ADKX, spread across its 20 buildings, can be found on its website.

Things to Do Outdoors

Many people travel to and live in the Adirondacks for the incredible opportunities to be outside. ADKX offers plenty of outdoor activities to allow visitors to connect with the beauty of nature. The ADKX Boathouse, in particular, has something for everyone, from novices to experienced paddlers and rowers. The Boathouse sits on Minnow Pond, a roughly 90-acre body of water that is home to loons, otters, beavers, many varieties of fish, and other wildlife. Visitors are able to rent a range of boats, including a rotating collection of vintage canoes, traditional guide boats, and rowboats, for 30 or 60 minutes. Boat rentals are included in the cost of admission to ADKX and don’t require any additional fees, encouraging visitors to take in this beautiful and serene pond.

ADKX also offers a range of trails for visitors to hike. The Minnow Pond Trail is an easy ¾-mile walk, suitable for the whole family, to discover Minnow Pond, known as a “gem in the wilderness,” by foot. This trail dates back to this site’s early settlement history. As people walk the trail, they can learn about the connections between land and water in the Adirondacks and about the people who were so moved by the recreational wonders of the area that they committed themselves to protect the range of habitats found here. New for 2021 is the Blue View Trail, which offers a short, vigorous route for more experienced hikers. From the higher vantage point, the views of Blue Mountain Lake are even more breathtaking. The Blue View Trail can be accessed as a spur off the Minnow Pond Trail.

“After the long and challenging pandemic year, we are so excited to invite visitors back to the ADKX campus. We pride ourselves on having something for everyone, whether someone is looking to spend time outdoors, to learn more about the history of this incredible and distinct region, or to explore wonderous artworks inspired by nature or the many vintage boats and trains in our collection. ADKX offers a place to immerse oneself in everything the Adirondacks have to offer, past and present,” said. David Kahn, ADKX’s Executive Director.

About Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 20 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121-acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

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ADKX Presents Live Virtual Events with Monday Evening Xploration Series

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BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE, N.Y. – July 1, 2020 – Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), announces new live programs starting this Monday, July 6 at 7:30 pm.

Beginning on July 6, 2020, the Adirondack Experience will be offering programs at 7:30 pm on most Mondays. The museum is reformatting its traditional summer Monday Evening Xplorations speaker series for a virtual platform. These engaging programs will feature experts in Adirondack history and culture in conversation with staff from the museum along with Q&A with the virtual attendees. These programs will livestream monthly on the 1st and 3rd Mondays.

The speaker series is free for museum members. Non-members are asked to contribute a “Pay What You Can” donation and non-member attendance will be limited to the first 100 registrations. All programs require registration through theADKX.org website.

July 6, 7:30pm: The Legacy of Harvey Kaiser’s Great Camps of the Adirondacks with Steven Engelhart

This program will explore the importance of the region’s rustic architecture, the role that Kaiser’s Great Camps had in its appreciation and stewardship, and some of the unintended consequences of this success.

Steven Engelhart is the Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the regional historic preservation organization of the Adirondack Park, with a mission to promote better public understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the region’s built environment. Steven is a native of the region and has a B.A. from SUNY Plattsburgh and a M.S. in historic preservation from the University of Vermont. He is the author of Crossing the River: Historic Bridges of the AuSable River, a small book about bridges and local history of the AuSable Valley. He also wrote the foreword to the new edition of Harvey Kaiser’s Great Camps of the Adirondacks. He resides in Essex. 

July 20, 7:30pm: Rural Rosie (encore program) with Katie Torchetti

Find out how the women of the Adirondacks stepped up during wartime to protect their country, keep up morale, and find resourceful ways to make a living while they were left to be the family breadwinners.

Katie Torchetti has a Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis on Secondary Social Studies Education and History from SUNY Potsdam. She has taught a variety of grade levels in the public school system before taking time off to have a family. Katie currently homeschools her two children and teaches outside the home in a variety of programs including high school history and English with a local learning cooperative, ministry college courses, and tutoring.

COMING UP:

August 3, 7:30pm: Doghiker: A Talk about Hiking with Dogs with Alan Via

In addition to 77 great hikes with dogs, Alan will discuss proper trail etiquette for dog owners, Leave No Trace (LNT), and review getting a dog, training for hiking, safeguarding your dog, first aid, field first aid, and gear.

Alan Via is an author and outdoors enthusiast who lives in New York’s Capital Region. Alan has been a hiker and hike leader for 40 years. His resume includes multiple rounds of the Adirondack 46, including the winter 46. He’s completed the ADK100, NE111 highest, the Catskill 200 highest, and has hiked and led trips to America’s western peaks over the years. Alan feels he’s been fortunate to have been a companion to 8 dogs since childhood. In addition to numerous hiking-related articles in a variety of publications, he’s the author of The Catskill 67: A Hiker’s Guide to the Catskill 100 Highest Peaks under 3500’ and Doghiker: Great Hikes with Dogs from the Adirondacks through the Catskills.

August 17, 7:30pm: Arts in the Adirondacks in the Age of Coronavirus with Kimberley A. Bouchard, Chris Leifheit, Allison Studdiford, and Nathalie Costa Thill

This evening presentation will feature an actor reading a diary excerpt from a WWII North Creek soldier and a discussion about how cultural organizations in the Adirondacks are adapting to the challenges of this time—the most momentous period in US history since World War II.

  • Kimberley A. Bouchard is the Artistic Director of Pendragon Theatre. She has directed over 70 productions in professional and educational theatre in the US, Canada, Spain, England, and Mexico and is a Professor Emeritus of the State University of New York, Potsdam, where she taught theatre arts for 24 years.
  • Chris Leifheit studied Drama and Theatre Arts at Chapman College in Orange, California. He first acted at Pendragon Theatre in 1997 and has performed in over 25 productions since then.
  • Allison Studdiford is currently the Associate Artistic Director for Pendragon Theatre. She is a director and an AEA and SAG/AFTRA actor who was based in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. She is also a co-founder of TheatreFirst, a professional theatre company in Berkeley. Her dad, Andy Studdiford, worked in the boat building at the Adirondack Experience, and she is very happy to be back home.
  • Nathalie Costa Thillhas been the Executive Director of the Adirondack Center for Writing, the literary organization serving the entire Adirondack Park, since soon after its inception in 1999. Nathalie sits on the board of LiTTAP, a state-wide group whose mission is to share challenges and best practices of literary organizations and presses to raise the level of awareness of the literary arts throughout New York.

September 7, 7:30pm: Anne LaBastille: Trailblazer and Hellraiser with Leslie Surprenant

Explore the life and legacy of Adirondack “Woodswoman” author and internationally-recognized conservationist Anne LaBastille, PhD. Through this discussion, Leslie Surprenant, a long-time friend and LaBastille’s estate executor, shares the exceptional life story of this trailblazer.

Leslie Surprenant is an Adirondack native and was a long-time friend of conservationist and author, Anne LaBastille. LaBastille surprised Leslie by nominating her to execute her estate—which Leslie learned only after LaBastille’s death in 2011. Since then, Leslie has worked hard to build a lasting LaBastille legacy from Anne’s bold and aspirational vision. She shares photos, stories, and presentations on the remarkable life and ancestry of this trailblazer.

Leslie is retired from a 35-year career as a biologist with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and is a professional ski instructor, NYS Licensed Guide, and home project DIYer.

About Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 24 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121- acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

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Adirondack Experience to Launch New Discussion Series

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BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE, N.Y. – June 25, 2020 – The Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, announced today that it will launch a new online discussion series exploring the realities of racism in the Adirondack region as well as the work of local organizations to address these challenges. The program is being developed in partnership with The Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI) and The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), and is part of ADI’s wider antiracism education and mobilization initiative. Titled The Black Experience in the Adirondacks, the series will kick-off on Thursday, July 2 at 6:00 pm, with a conversation on the mission and work of ADI. Later discussions will explore the particular dangers of driving in the area as a Black person. The talks will take place live over Zoom, with public registration available at www.theADKX.org. A fuller detailing of the currently confirmed July discussions follows below, and additional events will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Although much of the recent national conversation on racism has focused on events in metropolitan areas, the unfortunate truth is that racism is as much a part of daily life in more rural areas like the Adirondacks. We know that racial profiling is a deeply entrenched issue and is one that plays out in particular on our highways and roads,” said David Kahn, Executive Director. “The vision for this series is to acknowledge that the Black experience in the Adirondacks is different than that of white individuals, and in doing so open new conversations about how to meaningfully address these realities. We are delighted to collaborate with the leadership at ADI and ANCA on this series and to amplify their work.”

Thursday, July 2 at 6:00 PM
What is the Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI)?

Established in 2015, ADI is focused on developing, implementing, and promoting strategies that will make Adirondack Park a more welcoming and inclusive place for both residents and visitors. In this conversation, Dr. Donathan Brown, Assistant Provost and Assistant Vice President for Faculty Diversity and Recruitment at Rochester Institute of Technology and Co-Founder of Adirondack Diversity Solutions, will interview ADI’s inaugural Executive Director Dr. Nicole Hylton-Patterson. The conversation will explore ADI’s mission and approach, focusing in particular on how the killing of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement has impacted its agenda and upcoming actions.

Thursday, July 9 at 6:00 PM
What Led to the Establishment of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI)?

This conversation, moderated by Dr. Kim Irland, Dean of Student Life and Diversity Officer at North Country Community College, will examine the origins of ADI. Featuring ADI’s four founding members, the discussion will focus on why this group of white individuals felt it was essential to create an organization that would address issues of racial equity and justice in the region, and how their roles as allies have changed over time. Speakers include Paul Hai, Associate Director at SUNY ESF’s Newcomb Campus; Willie Janeway, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council; Pete Nelson, a writer and teacher at North Country Community College; and Martha Swan Executive Director of John Brown Lives!.

Thursday, July 23 at 6:00 PM
Driving While Black, PART I

ADI Executive Director Dr. Nicole Hylton-Patterson will interview acclaimed historian Dr. Gretchen Sorin about her book Driving While Black (2020), which “reveals how the car—the ultimate symbol of independence and possibility—has always held particular importance for African Americans, allowing black families to evade the many dangers presented by an entrenched racist society and to enjoy…the freedom of the open road.” At the same time, Dr. Sorin, who also serves as the Director of the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies, will discuss how the road posed, and continues to pose, new racially driven challenges. A feature-length documentary on this subject created by Dr. Sorin and Rick Burns will air on PBS later this year.

Thursday, July 30 at 6:00 PM
Driving While Black, PART II

Clifton H. Harcum, diversity officer at SUNY Potsdam, will moderate a panel discussion with a group of Adirondack residents and visitors about their experiences with the New York State Police as Black people driving in the Adirondacks. Harcum will open the discussion by considering his own experiences of being stopped numerous times, between November 2019 and June 2020, while driving from his home in Saranac Lake to SUNY Potsdam. The names of the panelists will be released in the coming weeks.

To register for these programs please visit us online at:  www.theADKX.org.

This series is part of a larger ADI antiracism education and mobilization initiative that includes an Antiracism 101 web series, workshops, town hall meetings with elected officials, and public policy mobilization. For more information on these programs, please visit: www.diversityadk.org.

About Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI)

The Adirondack Diversity Initiative’s mission is to develop and promote strategies to help the Adirondack Park become more welcoming and inclusive of all New Yorkers, both visitors and permanent residents. A more inclusive Adirondack Park will benefit not only the citizens of New York but the economic and political health of the Park as well. ADI is based at ANCA’s office in Saranac Lake, N.Y. Its antiracism education and mobilization initiative includes an Antiracism 101 web series, workshops, town hall meetings with elected officials, and public policy mobilization.

About Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA)

ANCA is an independent, nonprofit corporation with a transformational approach to building prosperity across northern New York. ANCA’s community-informed, results-driven strategies for local food producers, small business owners, would-be entrepreneurs and municipal innovators offer targeted interventions that are designed to keep wealth and value in local communities.

About Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 24 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121- acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.

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