North Country At Work

View of dining room in the Fort William Henry Hotel. Note African-American waiters. Photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard. 1875. Lake George, NY.

Overloaded stagecoach in front of the Fort William Henry Hotel, Lake George. Stage of E. Putman and Co. traveling the Glens Falls, Lake George, and Chestertown Route. Photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard. Circa 1878. Lake George, NY. Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.

Inside the Fort William Henry Hotel. Photo shows the office and its elaborate furnishings including pillars and chandeliers, holding gas-lighting fixtures. Photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard. Circa 1885. Lake George, NY. Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.

Dock area at Fort William Henry Hotel being enjoyed by some visitors, a rowboat is tied just beneath them.  The sign at the left of the road reads:  “FORT WM HENRY HOTEL.”  The small building to the right of the people is the “Boat Office”. Photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard. Circa 1885. Lake George, NY. […]

Waiters lined up alongside set tables in the dining room of Hotel Champlain. Note than many of them are African-American. Photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard. Circa 1891. Plattsburgh, NY. Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.

Inside the Hotel Champlain. Note African-American man (right), probably a porter. Photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard. Circa 1891. Plattsburgh, NY. Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.

Guide boat house at Paul Smith’s. Photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard. Circa 1880. Paul Smiths, NY.

The dining room of Prospect House with tables in rows with white table cloths.  People are sitting at the various tables, servers are standing between them. Note that waiters are African-American. Photograph by Edward Bierstadt. Circa 1885. Blue Mountain Lake, NY. Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.

Jacques Suzanne, wearing a fur coat, lying in the snow beside a team of dogs harnessed to a sled. 1930-1950. Lake Placid, NY. Inscription reads: “To my friend Noah John Rondeau.” Rondeau was known as the Adirondack hermit. Photo courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.

Dogsled team in Lake Placid with mountain in the background. Three people are in the sled, two people behind it. Photograph by Alfred W. Santway. Lake Placid, NY. Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.