List of 1915 Forest Rangers and Fire Observers

From May 7, 1915 Chateaugay Record and Franklin County Democrat:

click image to enlarge

1932 Winter Olympics

Much like its sister event in 1980, the 1932 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, NY involved the greater Adirondack North Country region.   Two Franklin County men were part of the organizing committee:

Member, New York State Olympic Winter Games Commission

Member of III Winter Olympic Games Committee

Saranac Lake voted to provide $10,000.00 in funding and housing for athletes and dignitaries, as well as lodging for spectators.  The housing issue was of particular concern, and help was enlisted from neighboring communities and local Housing Committees were formed.  In Tupper Lake, P.J. Hickey agreed to be the committee chairperson, in Malone it was Dr. John E. White, and in Saranac Lake, Francis Leggett.   A formal system of cottage rental in locations such as Paul Smiths, Vermontville and Rainbow Lake was also employed. 

During the Games, a detail of 53 New York State Police (including 23 from Troop B in Malone), led by Lieut. H.C. Herrick, were stationed at Lake Placid.  The detail also had at its disposal 3 automobiles and 4 horses. 


Resources:
- Official Report of III Winter Olympic Games, Lake Placid 1932
- Olympic.org's 1932 Winter Games website, including video of the winning U.S. 4-man bobsled team
- 1932 & 1980 Winter Olympic Museum

Columbian Fire Insurance Company

The Franklin County Historical and Museum Society has in its collection (1975.72.1) a ledger of the O'Neil and Hale Insurance Agents, Malone, NY who were local agents for the Louisville, KY Columbian Fire Insurance Company.  This ledger from 1893-4 includes the policies of individuals and businesses from every corner of Franklin County.  From the Town of Bombay's policy insuring their covered bridge at Hogansburg

To the Tupper Lake Village school district #1 (formerly the town of Altamont) two-story school building:

Both structures were insured for $1250.00 with a November 14, 1893-November 14, 1894 policy.  The premiums on these policies were $18.75

O'Neil and Hale did a good business with the hotels in the county, selling policies to Loon Lake House:

the Berkley Hotel in Saranac Lake:

and Paul Smith's Hotel in the town of Brighton:

...among others.

Click on images to enlarge

Bill Smith the Adirondack Hermit

From the booklet Adirondack Pioneers by John H. Titus (Troy Times Art Press, Troy, NY:  1899.   pg. 39) in the collection of the Franklin County Historical & Museum Society:

"Bill" Smith

    William H. Smith, known as "Bill" Smith the "Adirondack Hermit," and whose portrait appears with this sketch was born in Irasburgh, Vt., in April, 1826.  At the age of sixteen years he went to Lowell, Mass., a distance of 250  miles, traveling on foot.  He began there at driving a truck wagon and remained there till 1850, when he came to Franklin, N.Y., and worked at lumbering for different parties.  He hauled logs off the land where Paul Smith's hotel now stands.  After that he engaged with Price & Dickinson of Bloomingdale, and laid the cellar wall for what is now known as the Titus store, and which was the first cellar wall laid in Bloomingdale.  At that time he owned a farm of 150 acres in the town of Franklin, about 1 1/2 miles from Bloomingdale.  In 1862 he kept the hotel known as Hunters' Home, and after that moved to his farm, where he has lived ever since, most of the time alone, which gave him the name of the "Adirondack Hermit."
    Mr. Smith's beard is about six feet long.  He is six feet four inches tall, and when his beard is properly combed he can stand erect and step on his beard.  His weight is 200 pounds.

Bill Smith was suffiently famous to warrant an article in the NY Times upon his death in 1895.