This Week In Schroon Lake History: 1837

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On June 24th, 1837 – that’s 174 years ago  --  painter Thomas Cole visited Schroon Lake and made several drawings of the area, including what’s today known as Hoffman Mountain.

It was his second trip in two years and he was moved to return after observing in his journal: “The [Schroon] Lake I found to be a beautiful sheet of water, overshadowed by sloping hills clothed with heavy forests”.

Art historians say this is not just a pretty picture, but one in which Cole makes an anthropological observation. From The Adirondack Museum:

It not only depicts a known site and its inhabitants but also conveys Cole's reactions to civilization's transformation of the wilderness.

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Own A Cone (or slice) of Schroon Lake History

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As far back as the early 1970s, we hear the Narrows Restaurant on Route 9 served a couple of generations, good food, cool ice-cream and a great time. Behind the counter the hospitality of Elza and Howard Urban and their family and workers made hungry travelers, locals and tourists feel welcomed, as they devoured their famous hot dogs and pizza while enjoying a round of mini golf.

But nothing lasts forever and a few short years ago The Urbans moved to Arizona and new owners took over for a while, before calling it quits. Today and Sunday, you have the chance to own a piece of Narrows Restaurant history as the contents is put up for sale.  A Facebook tribute page has some terrific memories from fans and employees. Our favorite is from Don DeZalia Jr., who has a funny story about an unusual pizza. 

I worked at the Narrows in 1971 when it first opened up. Remember Neil (Urban) creating a tuna fish pizza that was actually pretty good and can still remember Mrs Urban going over the paperwork with a bowlful of anchovies.

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