With a rich and vibrant history, the Adirondack's boasts not only millions of acres of ground to explore, but probably equal amounts of cool facts, statistics, folklore and more. So here is where we ask you how well you know the 'dacks?
Take the Quiz:
1. Blue Mountain Lake
Blue Mountain Lake has not always been the name of the beautiful body of water that sits in the shadow of its namesake peak. Do you know what the original name of the lake was?
- A. Tallow Lake
- B. Shadow Lake
- C. Towahloondah Lake
- D. Black Lake
Answer: A
Blue Mountain Lake was originally referred to as Tallow Lake. Venison tallow (a/k/a deer fat), was an extremely valuable substance for surviving an Adirondack winter. Legend has it that an Indian hunter was trying to cross the lake with a large load of venison tallow in his canoe. A storm hit and overtook his boat, causing him to lose the tallow in the lake. Due to his misfortune, he began referring to the lake as the lake that took his tallow or Tallow Lake. The name stuck until the late 1840s when John G. Holland started to build the first hotel on its shore and believed the name would not be appealing to potential tourist. But the name did not "officially" change until the post office was later established.
2. THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD IS...
Which of the following terms is known to have originated in the Adirondacks.
- A. Lumberjack
- B. Vacation
- C. Cabin Fever
- D. None of the Above
Answer: B
According to the Smithsonian, the Adirondacks were the birthplace of the American vacation. In America, the common term for a leisure travel, getaway or simply some much needed time off is: "vacation." Prior to the word vacation, the word "holiday" was the more common term used, and you can thank the Adirondacks for this change. The wealthy bankers, industry leaders, etc., would "vacate" the hot and humid city and head north to their cool and tranquil resorts and summer residences in the Adirondacks. Now who's ready for a much needed vacation?
3. The Prospect House
Constructed in the 1880s, The Prospect House on Blue Mountain Lake was well known for being the first hotel in the world to have electricity in every guest room. In addition to electricity, it also had a variety of other luxurious amenities that were well ahead of their time. Which of the following amenities were not included as part of the Prospect House:
- A. Bowling alley, billiard room & shooting gallery
- B. Physicians office and pharmacy
- C. Elevators
- D. All of the above were included at this luxurious Adirondack Hotel.
Answer: D
The 4-and-a-half-story Prospect House, had 300 guest rooms and featured amenities such as a restaurant, bowling alley, billiard room, shooting gallery, telegraph office, library, barber shop, physicians office and pharmacy. It even had its own resident orchestra which often performed twice a day!
4. The Largest Lake
The Adirondack Park is home to over 3,000 lakes and ponds. Of these lakes, which lake is the largest to be contained completely within the park?
- A. Lake Adirondack
- B. Raquette Lake
- C. Long Lake
- D. Lake Sacandaga
Answer: B
With 99 miles of shoreline and 19 islands, Raquette Lake is the largest lake bound completely within the Adirondack Park.
5. Golden Oak
What do Speculator's Oak Mountain and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge have in common?
- A. They celebrated their grand opening the same year.
- B. The paint color of the base lodge is the same as the bridge.
- C. The same motor used for hoisting the cables on the bridge was used for the original ski lift at Oak.
- D. None of the above.
Answer: C
Oak Mountain in Speculator, NY opened in 1947. The original T-bar featured the same motor that was used to hoist up cables that make up the Golden Gate Bridge. The motor successfully continued to ferry skiers up the lift for over 50 years. Today, a quad chair is the primary lift that brings skiers, riders and mountain bikers up this family-friendly mountain.
6. World Records
In 2014 Inlet, NY hit the world stage when it shattered the Guinness World Record for the largest raft made up of canoes and kayaks. How many boats were in the official count?
- A. 3,150
- B. 2,995
- C. 1,239
- D. 6, 240
Answer: A
On September 13, 2014, paddlers from 31 states, as well as participants from 2 Canadian Provinces, Thailand and Belgium came together on Fourth Lake in Inlet, NY to form a raft of 3,150 canoes and kayaks. But this wasn't the first time Inlet broke the record; in 2008 and 2011 they also broke the record when they hosted 1,902 and 1,104 boats respectively.
7. Red Light, Green Light
Completely bound within the blueline of the Adirondack park, Hamilton County is the third largest county in the State of New York. The County is made up of the Towns of Inlet, Long Lake, Lake Pleasant, Indian Lake, Hope, Arietta, Benson, Wells, and Morehouse, as well as the popular vacation hamlets of Raquette Lake, Speculator and Blue Mountain Lake. How many permanent traffic lights can be found within Hamilton County?
- A. 19
- B. 0
- C. 4
- D. 7
Answer: B
While occasionally there may be a temporary traffic light to accommodate a road project or other special need, there is not a single permanent traffic light within Hamilton County.
8. OK SLIP
In 2014, a popular new trail into OK Slip Falls was designed to allow the public to gain access to this beautiful waterfall. Do you know why it is called OK Slip Falls?
- A. Oliver Krump slipped off the falls in 1927
- B. Because it is not OK to slip or slide down the falls
- C. Loggers would yell "OK Slip" to warn others that logs would come flying into the slip.
- D. None of the above
Answer: C
Each winter, from 1900 to the 1920s, lumberjacks would slide logs onto an ice covered pond which is now known as OK Slip Pond. This pond featured a dam that when released would carry the logs to the Hudson River. After the spring thaw, they would release the logs into the chute or "slip." Before the release, they would warn those downstream that the logs were coming by yelling "OK Slip." The pond, brook and falls got their name from this warning command.
9. What came first?
The Adirondacks is home to variety of iconic attractions that welcome both residents and visitors throughout the year. In what order did the following happen?
- A. The Adirondack Museum opened in Blue Mountain Lake
- B. Oak Mountain Ski Area opened in Speculator
- C. The Cedar River Golf Course was built in Indian Lake
- D. Seaplanes arrived in Long Lake
Answer: C, D, B, A
The Cedar River Golf Course was built in 1932. In 1946, seaplanes first arrived in Long Lake. A year later Oak Mountain ferried its first skiers to the top of the mountain. Last, but definitely not least, in August of 1957 The Adirondack Museum opened its doors for the first time.
Need to Study Up?
So how did you do? If you missed a few don't worry... even some of the locals I've quizzed have struggled on some of these Adirondack facts. But there is one thing you can do: come experience it! Discover and learn at the world-renowned Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, read the trail head signs & kiosks before you head out to explore, take a historic boat or walking tour, marvel in the beauty of Great Camp Sagamore and its surroundings. Trust me, for every corner you take, there is probably a cool piece of trivia to quiz someone on later.
