A serene view of Saranac Lake from the Hotel Ampersand boat house. After opening in 1888, the Ampersand Hotel was a mainstay in Saranac Lake. A review in the New York Times (June 11 1893) writes, “This beautiful spot, with its peaceful waters, gentle, undulating vales, emerald forests, and surrounding lofty, pine-clad mountains, was never lovelier than now.” Each season, hundreds of tourists, mainly from Manhattan and the boroughs rode the train up to Saranac, bound for the Ampersand Hotel, which could hold 275 guests at full capacity. Guests enjoyed tennis courts, ball fields, a waterfront, close proximity to the Adirondack High Peaks, as well as the famous Ampersand orchestra which played each night for dinner and dancing. Like so many Saranac Hotels, the Ampersand met a fiery end, burning in 1907.Circa late 1800s. Saranac Lake, NY. Courtesy of the Saranac Lake Free Library.