Recent Historic Preservation Projects
at Great Camp Sagamore
Your past contributions have been instrumental to our ongoing restoration work and ensure Camp remains a vital cultural resource. Thank you.
Campwide Roofing Assessment (Ongoing)
RECENT & CURRENT:
(2023-present (ongoing)
Evaluation of all roofs throughout the 27-building campus
Roofs assessed to date: Dining Hall, Icehouse, and original Laundry Complex; Main Lodge; Playhouse
Campwide Electrical Assessment (Ongoing)
RECENT & CURRENT:
2023-present (ongoing)
Evaluation of all existing electrical systems throughout the 27-building complex (includes distribution equipment, wiring systems, code compliance)
Buildings completed to date: Alfred’s Cabin; Gloria’s Cabin; Playhouse; Dining Hall; Lakeside
The Original Boathouse (c.1897)
Built in 1897, guests use Sagamore's historic Boathouse daily for adventures on Sagamore Lake.
RECENT PRESERVATION WORK (2023-2024):
Complete restoration of cedar shingle roof
Realignment of structure
Installation of steel I-beams for the deck cantilever support
Replacement in kind of bark on cedar columns and bracing where needed
Wigwam Lodge (1912-1915)
Built in 1901 as lodging for Alfred's unmarried male guests and men who came without their wives, Margaret doubled its size in 1915 to accommodate even more guests. Today, guests sleep in the original poster beds, and the cabin is a popular stop on the Historic Tour.
RECENT PRESERVATION WORK (2023-2024):
2024 - Rustic log artisans replaced what had been a combination of lumber and unstable cedar bark-on logs that comprised the stairs and stair railings with cedar bark-on logs and half logs, in keeping with the original design.
2023 - All wood floors throughout the lodge are still original (ca. 1901 & 1915) and newly waxed
Playhouse (1901)
Designed by William Coulter in 1901, Alfred built for his family and guests what he referred to as the Casino. Margaret later renamed it the Playhouse, and today's guests gather here for concerts, conferences, and a variety of programs.
RECENT PRESERVATION WORK (2023-2024):
Upgrades to the building’s electrical system including the distribution equipment, wiring systems, and code compliance
Alfred’s (1937) and Gloria’s (1939) Cabins
Built in 1937 & 1939, Margaret had Cabins built for each of her adult children so they would have their ow place at Sagamore.
RECENT PRESERVATION WORK (2024):
Rustic log artisans replaced what had been a combination of lumber and unstable cedar bark-on logs that comprised the stairs and stair railings with cedar bark-on logs and half logs, in keeping with the original design.
The Main Lodge Porch (1897-1899)
The porch is a main feature of Great Camp Sagamore's iconic and architecturally significant Main Lodge. The restoration of this porch returned it to the central gathering space it was when W.W. Durant built it.
RECENT PRESERVATION WORK (2020-2024):
The Main Lodge is the iconic symbol of the Adirondack Great Camp, and the Lodge’s porch is now restored to its original design. This project fully restored the Lodge’s foundation wall, porch, and the porch’s piers. This included:
Repairing the Lodge’s foundation wall and the porch’s piers as well as addressing the soil drainage problems that compromised the foundation’s integrity.
The railings of the second story balcony on the Main Lawn side were also restored. The upper railings on the lake side are original and therefore remain as they were in 1897.
Log artisans rebuilt bark-on cedar staircases that were part of the porch’s original design but had been removed decades ago. These include three dual staircases leading to the lake, the Dining Hall, and the Boathouse.
A Word from Ted Riehle, Sagamore’s Sr. Director of Facilities and Head Caretaker
Built deep in the Adirondack mountains 127 years ago by visionary great camps designer William West Durant, Great Camp Sagamore is America’s most significant, intact, and publicly accessible Gilded Age Great Camp.
As a nonprofit organization, Sagamore Institute of the Adirondacks relies on donations from our community to keep this 27-building National Historic Landmark preserved, maintained, and open to the public.
To Contribute Directly from your Donor Advised Fund or Stock Holdings
EIN Number: 23-7401872
Firm Name: NFS LLC
DTCC: 0226
Account Name: Sagamore Institute, Inc
Account Number: k4k-130626