Currently in its second iteration, the original Adirondack Lodge was designed by Henry Van Hoevenberg, one of the early trailblazers of the Adirondack High Peaks region and namesake of
Mount Van Hoevenberg. The main draw to the Adirondack Lodge was its proximity to Algonquin and Marcy, which had trails cut up to their summits by Van Hoevenberg himself. It opened in 1890, and was well known for its beautiful vistas and colorful fireside storytelling by Van Hoevenberg. Eventually, due to near constant financial troubles, Van Hoevenberg was forced to sell the property in 1895, though he would remain on as a caretaker until 1898. During this time, the property changed hands several times before eventually ending up under the stable ownership of the Lake Placid Club in 1900. A member of the Lake Placid Club at that point, Van Hoevenberg found himself once again as a caretaker at his beloved lodge. However, disaster hit on June 3, 1903, when the entire structure was consumed in
a catastrophic fire that swept
Essex County. It was replaced by the present structure, designed by
Saranac Lake architect
William G. Distin, in 1927.
Spelling The spelling of the building's name was changed from its original "Adirondack Lodge" to "Adirondak Loj" by a previous owner,
Melvil Dewey, founder of the
Lake Placid Club, creator of the
Dewey Decimal System and ardent advocate of
spelling reform. ==References==