Old Forge, NY and the Adirondack Park

 

Old Forge Pond

The Adirondack Natural Historic Landmark has many towns that act as gateways to the park. They provide motels, souvenir shops, and places to outfit a longer visit. Old Forge, New York, is just such a gateway, and visiting it offered exactly what you would expect.

 

Old Forge was settled in the early 1800’s along the Big Moose River as a farming and iron mining town. Farming was not viable, and when the mine failed, the river was used to provide power to a lumber mill, which also did not survive. In 1874, a dam was built across the river, helping to create a chain of lakes in this section of the park. But the town really came into its own when the railroad was built from Utica, allowing for people from Utica and Syracuse to visit.

 

Today, Old Forge is a town set up for tourists. It sits on the shore of Old Forge Pond, where there is a public beach. There are a wide range of shops selling everything from inexpensive souvenirs to high end crafts and art. There are also a water park and and a go-cart/mini-golf center.

A former Howard Johnson's still serves food

 

Adirondack Park offers a wide variety of lakes and trails to explore. On the advice of local photographer Kurt Gardner, I headed to Moss Lake, ten miles away. Moss Lake is small and beautiful, sitting among the foothills of the mountains. 

 

From there, I drove up to a point where the road crossed the North Branch of the Big Moose River, where Mr. Gardner suggested I would find a place to take some good photos.

 

Old Forge is a great place for a day trip from central New York, or a weekend enjoying some of New York’s most beautiful nature.

Nuts and Bolts

Old Forge is 50 miles from Utica and 100 miles from Syracuse.

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

 

One of my favorite places to visit in Washington DC is the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), which is located in the U.S. Patent Office Building, along with the National Portrait Gallery. SAAM is dedicated to presenting the 400+ year history of art produced by artists born and living in the Untied States and its colonies.

Luce Foundation Center

 

The museum’s permanent collection covers the entire span of European settlement in North America. It is displayed in several galleries arranged by the era produced, throughout the museum.

Indian Image by Fritz Scholder

SOB SOB by Kerry James Marshall

Double Phantom/Entro P.R. and Pa-lan-te by Miguel Luciano

 

The Horseshoe Falls by Alvin Fisher

General View of the Falls of Niagara by Alvin Fisher

Niagara by George Inness

The White Ballet by Everett Shinn

The Library by Jacob Lawrence

Sunset Dance - Ceremony to the Evening Sun by Joseph Henry Sharp

People in the Sun by Edward Hopper

 It also includes the Luce Foundation Center, which stores and cares for the works. They are kept in a visible storage center that visitors can walk through. The center is dominated by “Bridge” by Glenn Kiano which soars down the center of the galley. It consists of two hundred casts of Tommie Smith’s right arm, the one that he raised in a Black Power saluted during the 1968 Olympics.

Bridge by Glenn Kiano

 

SAAM always hosts several special exhibitions. When I visited in late August, they were hosting an exhibit titled “Passion and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women.” This amazing show explored how the women of a population that is known for being demure and plainly dressed, create quilts that are colorful and exuberant. Unfortunately, this exhibit has already closed.

Center Diamond Variation by Unknown maker

Detail of Center Diamond Variation above

Sunshine and Shadow by Unknown Maker

Fans by unidentified maker

Ocean Waves attributed to Clara Beachy

 

A second exhibit, which is an ongoing show, is “Experiencing America.” This is a collection of works created during the 1930’s most of which were commissioned by the WPA in an effort to provide art for communities and income for artists during the Great Depression.

 

Braceros by Domingo Ulloa

Tenement Flats by Millard Sheets

Ryder's House by Edward Hopper

Skating in Central Park by Agnes Tait

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is a great place to explore the history of art made in the United States. It has a great collection, and produces wonderful shows.

Nuts and Bolts

• SAAM is open every day, from 11:30 AM - 7:00 PM.
• There is no entrance fee to the museum.

Exploring Utica's Art and History

The Munson Museum

 

 A recent trip to the city of Utica, NY, this summer, gave me the opportunity to explore some of its history. The Munson Museum offers a look at the city’s artistic past, while Union Station gives an exploration of its classic architecture.

 

Erie Canal and Covered Bridge by Walter M. Oddie

Utica was built along the Mohawk River in 1758, at the site of the old Fort Schuyler, and incorporated in 1798. It served as a key rest stop between Albany and Syracuse, a role that became more important with the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. It also served as an important place in the transport of coal from the mines in northern Pennsylvania to the industrial centers along the canal. Its significance continued when railroads took over the job along the canals’ right-of-way.

Alfred Munson by John M. Marble from Munson.Art

 

One early industrialist in the area was Alfred Munson (1793-1854) who made his money through the manufacture of burrstone and textiles, coal mines, and the development of transportation along the canal and rail lines. His daughter Helen (1824-1873) married James Watson Williams (1810-1873) a local lawyer who joined the family business. Helen started collecting decorative and fine art. She was also a shrewd investor who greatly increased the family fortune. Their daughters, Rachel (1850-1915) and Maria (1853-1935), with their husbands, continued collecting art, jewelry, and decorative items. After Rachel’s death in 1915, the remaining three family members decided to create a cultural institution for the city of Utica. Officially named the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, it includes the art museum, an art school connected with The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and a performance space.

Lobsterman by Julian Levi

 

Like many museums in small cities, the Munson has a wide collection of works produced by very good artists. The Munson’s collection is mostly American artists, and it is a joy to walk through.

 

Danae in Arizona Variation II by Kay Walkingstick

Winter, Spuyten Duyvil by Ernest Lawson

Nopmas.M. Egiap Nospmas.M. by Charles Demuth

The Porch II by Phillip Guston

Godzilla by Emma Amos

Crabmen, Charleston by Andrée Ruellan

There was also a special exhibition: American Landscapes from The New York Historical Society (through Sept. 22, 2024).

Study from Nature: Rocks and Trees by Asher Brown Durand

View of the Shandokan Mountains by Asher Brown Durand

Niagara Falls by Louisa Davis Minot

Autumn Woods, Onieda County by Albert Bienstadt

 

Since Utica was an important center of transport and manufacturing, it invested in the building of a beautiful train station. While the city no longer gets the number of passengers that it did in its heyday, the station has been maintained and it is a great place to visit, both to enjoy its architecture, and because it is home to the city’s visitors office, an important resource whenever I travel.

Nuts and Bolts

• Munson Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM; Sunday 12 noon - 5 PM, and it is free at all times.
• The Terrace Cafe is an excellent full restaurant where you can enjoy a great meal. I highly recommend a reservation.
• Utica Union Station is at 321 Main Street. It serves several Amtrak trains every day, along with the Adirondack Railroad tours to Old Forge NY