1875 to the early 1900’s
It all started in 1875 the area just south of Northville.
First the quiet riverside spot was used by a Methodist
encampment making the trek there by horseback and stage.
Tents were arranged in a circle. Rustic benches were built
in the center of the circle to accommodate services held
on Sundays. Spending summers among the tall pines by the
river was a peaceful place to congregate.
Eventually, tents gave way to cottages and it was then
that the pine grove gained attention by groups of businessmen
from Northville, Gloversville, and Johnstown. The existing
railroad the Fonda, Johnstown, Gloversville (FJ & G)
could be extended to points north by additional track.
Construction of the track was initiated in 1872 by the
businessmen. The Town of Northampton was in support of
the construction and raised $200,000 through stock subscriptions.
Although the distance was relatively short (16 miles from
Gloversville to the park) even with that funding the group
had to give up construction and the venture went into bankruptcy.
The track was acquired by the FJ&G and completed 1875
.
With the track to the park in place, the first train station
in the park was nothing more than a wooden platform with
a timber built turntable farther north on the track. After
buying 17 acres, the railroad hired out the picnic grove
for various groups like the Salvation Army and the Women’s
Christian Temperance Union. With it’s growing popularity
the railroad rented the picnic grounds to a German society
who arrived at the station with a railroad car full of
barrels of beer. The Methodists, infuriated, put their
cottages up for sale and moved on to a quieter retreat
in Round Lake. Only a few of the cottages were owned by
the railroad at that time which they rented for $50.00
to $100.00 per month or $90.00 to $250.00 per season depending
on the accommodations.
The railroad began construction in 1888 on the first hotel,
The Adirondack Inn. The Inn was 4 stories high had 100
rooms and could accommodate 250 guests. Two large balconies
were built on the first and second floors were people could
sit and enjoy the bands and activities that took place
on the lawn. The Inn was also across from the railroad
platform providing easy access to guests.
Disaster struck in the spring of 1898 when 111 privately
built cottages burned in the park. The blaze started in
an unoccupied cottage at 10:30 PM. The fire leapt from
the cottages to the pine trees which dropped embers on
the roofs of other cottages heavily laden with pine needles.
An attempt was made to dynamite to provide a firebreak
but to no avail. It took only two hours to reduce the cottages
to a pile of smoldering ash.
This setback actually facilitated the construction of
a more expanded form of the park. The railroad bought 700
acres. They then divided some of the acreage up into 40” by
60” parcels and proceeded to build better cottages,
installed water & sewer. The railroad owned all the
land and cottages and everyone either leased or rented
from them. The vision for an amusement park had begun.
In a few short years arbors, gardens, lovers lanes and
ponds appeared. Also a midway that included two carousels,
roller coaster, shooting gallery, house of fun, bowling
alley, souvenir shops, burro rides, roller skating rink,
toboggan slides that propelled beach goers directly into
the river, picnic grounds, open air rustic theater, a 9
hole golf course, canoes and boats for rent, more hotels,
and nearly a mile of sandy shore line on the river.
A bridge was built complete with a miniature train to
transport people to a 60 acre island in the middle of the
river named Sport Island. This was developed for sporting
events complete with a baseball stadium. It also provided
a venue for hot air balloon ascensions were daring feats
would be performed high above the heads of the spectators.
Also boxing matches and militia reenactments of various
battles. The wooden bridge was removable to accommodate
for log drives and the winter ice.
By 1905 the FJ&G controlled or owned everything in
the park. The visitors were coming in droves to spend time
enjoying the summer months. The summer of 1906 brought
75,000 visitors and in 1907 90,000. The park had it’s
own police dept and upon the building of the new station
in 1922 it’s own post office.
