Saranac Lake in Franklin County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Making History in Saranac Lake
Linwood Cottage
From The Cure to Main Street Business
The Evans cottage (seen above on the left) was just north of the Linwood.
Shown from the front here, the Evans was built in the classic Adirondack style of the day with a wrap-around front porch where clients like Mr. Edgar sat for the tuberculosis cure in the open air. Mr. Edgar was the first TB patient in Saranac Lake.
Five & Dime stores Newberry's and F.W. Woolworth replaced the Evans Cottage where Sears is now located.
A visit that lasted a lifetime
Dr. Trudeau came to Saranac Lake for a visit, then stayed to become one of the first leading researchers seeking a cure for tuberculosis. His Saranac Laboratory is on Church Street.
From this vantage point in 1881, the inviting vast lawn of Linwood Cottage was an oasis among the surrounding bustle of downtown. Originally built as a "cure cottage" for tuberculosis patients, it operated as a boarding house until 1954, hosting notables such as New York Governor Roswell P. Flower and heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey. New York Giants pitcher Christy Mathewson is said to have worn out many checker boards playing with world champion checker and chess player, Sandy McRay, who stayed at the Linwood.
The Manassa Mauler
Jack Dempsey, the American world heavyweight boxing champion, signed in at the Linwood Cottage.
Still Standing
South of the Linwood stands the former Charles Green Market. Today it houses apartments and retail businesses while keeping the detailed architecture of Saranac Lake’s early days.
(photo captions)
• Early Downtown Saranac Lake
• Evans “Cure Cottage”
• Mr. Edgar, First Tuberculosis Patient – 1884
• Dr. E.L. Trudeau
• Newberry’s/Woolworth’s
• Jack Dempsey & Friends
• Charlie Green – getting ready for the day
• Greens Market today
• Hoyt’s/Charles Green
Writers: Mary Hotaling, Susan Waters
Photo Credits: Phil Gallos, Historic Saranac Lake, Saranac Lake Free Library
Map: Gail Brill Design
Design: D.E. Leifheit, Point of View, Paul Smiths
Funding: NYS Department of Transportation
Installation: Barrett Paving, Watertown, NY
Fabrication: Folia, Canada
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Science & Medicine • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.
Location. 44° 19.555′ N, 74° 7.898′ W. Marker is in Saranac Lake, New York, in Franklin County. Marker is on Main Street, 0.1 miles north of River Street (State Route 3), on the right when traveling north. Marker is located beside the sidewalk near the northwest corner of the Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 52 Main Street, Saranac Lake NY 12983, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hotel Saranac (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Trudeau Memorial (about 700 feet away); Town of Saranac Lake WW I Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Wilderness Lady (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Making History in Saranac Lake (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Making History in Saranac Lake (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Making History in Saranac Lake (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Union Depot (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Saranac Lake.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Making History in Saranac Lake
Also see . . . Edward C. Edgar. The first tubercular patient credited with staying year-round in Saranac Lake was Mr. Edward C. Edgar who spent the winter of 1874 at the boarding house on Main Street run by Mrs. Nellie Vosburgh Evans, wife of Lucius "Lute" Evans, a well-known local guide. At this time, the Village of Saranac Lake was little more than a saw mill, a small hotel for guides and lumbermen, a schoolhouse and perhaps a dozen guides' houses scattered over an area of an eighth of a mile. (Submitted on April 3, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 3, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 130 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 3, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.