Adirondack Story Telling: Right Here In Schroon

Story telling is a rich tradition in the Adirondacks. Not only tall stories, but stories that present a living history of what life was like in these parts years ago. And Merritt Hulst, who has deep roots here, wants to preserve that tradition and keep those stories alive.

That’s why he is behind tonight’s inaugural story telling event at The BoatHouse. Tonight’s topic is What’s Special About Schroon and Jobs of Yesteryear in Schroon. The event goes from 7 pm - to 8:30pm

Merritt and his wife Analise Rigan started this tradition in their home, The Paradox Lake House a couple of years ago.

It grew out of Merritt’s memories of the grand home -- now a B&B -- when he was a boy, when his family hosted refugees from the city in the summer months. The Inn became an informal gathering place for locals – often packed to the rafters at mealtimes.

“It was a real community center, we were always hearing stories,” Merritt told Schroon Laker.

“It’s important to keep those stories alive and they are bought to life when told and others can listen to them, and pass them on”.

So if you’d love to hear some stories, or have one to share, please head over to the Boathouse tonight.

With Schroon’s rich history, there should no shortage of stories to be shared tonight – Merritt and Analise have their own amazing yarn to tell about the Paradox Inn, and how they lovingly bought her back to life. Their account was published in the  June  2015 edition of Adirondack Life magazine, which you can read here  -- or better yet, go hear it from then horse’s mouth.

American Pickers Heading to the 'Dacks

You may be sitting on what's known by collectors as "rusty gold.". And it may be hidden in your old barn or shed. That's exactly what the stars of American Pickers, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, are looking for when they bring their hit TV show to the Lake Geiorge area in April.

If you have a large collection or want to refer someone to Mike and Frank, email: your name, number, address and description of the collection and photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com, or call 1-855-old-rust.

From the Producers: 

"AMERICAN PICKERS is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique ‘picking’ on History. This hit show follows two of the most skilled pickers in the business, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, as they embark on an epic road trip across the U.S. in search of America’s most valuable antiques from motorcycles, classic cars and bicycles to one-of-a-kind vintage memorabilia. Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle America, restore forgotten relics to their former glory, and learn a thing or two about American history along the way. Filming is scheduled to start next month.  AMERICAN PICKERS is looking for leads and would love to explore what you may have. They are on the hunt for interesting characters with interesting and unique items.  AMERICAN PICKERS is produced by Cineflix Productions for History. New episodes air Wednesdays at 9pm on History."

Historic Sleuthing: Schroon’s “Real” Ondawa Hotel

We recently featured a story about a listing from EBay featuring a 150-year-old photograph featuring the Ondawa Hotel. The listing clearly stated the photo was of the historic hotel on Main Street Schroon. The photo eventually sold for $174. Well the old saying that things aren’t always as they seem, applies here. One of a readers, Forrest Jones, raised questions about what the photo reall portrayed. From Forrest: 

“Regarding your recent post of (the) EBay sale of the photo of the Ondawa House, I wanted to mention that I believe the subject of the photograph is actually a building in Salem NY. Here is a website with a photo of the Salam Ondawa House. There was an “Ondawa House” in Schroon Lake (another magnificent old building), but it has a different roofline than the one pictured in the old photo offered on EBay."

To investigate this mystery we turned to our most trusted source on all things historically Schroon Lake: Ann Breen Metcalfe, to see if Forrest’s hunch was correct. From Ann:

“I did some limited research: There seem to have been two Ondawa hotels of the same vintage, one in Schroon Lake and  the other in Salem, NY. Checking images of the Schroon Lake Ondawa, it was a 3-story white frame building at the corner of Main St. and what is now Dock St, (except it extended over into what is now the park). The side of the hotel facing the lake had a pointed roof. The Main St. side had a porch with an overhead roof along the first floor; the side facing the lake had roof-covered porches on the first and second stories. There was an “Ondawa” sign on the side facing the lake.

"The 3-story building in Salem had roughly the same shape but there were roofed porches on the two stories facing the main street. There were prominent chimneys. There was a very large “Ondawa House” sign at the top of the building on that side. In one photo the building appears to be dark-colored; in another it looks like white painted wood. The dark building is the picture you used; it appears your correspondent is correct in thinking that is the Salem hotel. 

Some sellers of postcards do seem to have the two sites confused. In my view the existence of two covered porches and the huge sign on the front of the Salem building are what distinguish it from the one in Schroon Lake. Sources: on-line references, Gray’s Atlas, S.R. Stoddard’s “The Adirondacks Illustrated” guidebooks, Historic Map Works. old photos, old postcards."

A huge thank you to Ann! So there you have it. The Ondawa Hotel listed on EBay as being in Schroon, is in fact from Salem NY. Got an historical question about Schroon? Shoot as an email, here.

Sea Salty: The Man and the Crab

Former Marine mess cook John Gun Pin knew how to handle a cleaver. Harley Spiller (a.k.a. Inspector Collector) remembers his old friend  -- who he met at Schroon Lake’s Idylwold Boys Camp --  and the last dish he prepared: cured crab, or ha cha. Story:  Courtesy of the Asian American Writer's Workshop.

By Harley Spiller

July 13, 2012 |

Donghai to the core, Yeh Gum Pei had a diminutive physique and a distinctive personality. I was just a teen at a weenie roast when he yelled: “I ask for da fuggin’ mussid and you gimme da godamma kechuh.” Once I entered his kitchen in a tattered t-shirt―he severed its fringes with a colossal cleaver. When a dentist quoted a high price for extraction, Mr. Yeh tied his molar to a doorknob and slammed the tooth out.

After U.S. redenomination, John Gun Pin broiled NY sirloins for the Young Men’s Philanthropic League on East 80th Street in Manhattan, and summered as head chef of Camp Idylwold for Boys on Schroon Lake, where we met in 1969. Years later, when John spoke of sailing in the U.S. Merchant Marines and cooking whatever was netted, I asked “How did you know what kind of crab you had?” Disbelieving my naiveté, the decorated veteran of the 135thMedical Mess Detachment snapped, “A crab is a crab.”

You can read more of the story, here.