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HISTORY IS COOL: 60 years ago

April 6, 1961

Save the Red House

A campaign to “Save the Red House” is underway in Lake Placid. The Red House is part of the first home built in Lake Placid by the Nash family shortly after they arrived in 1851. It stands in almost the same location as the original house, near the corner of Mirror Lake Drive and Main Street.

The property is now owned by Peter Roland, who has announced that both houses now standing at the corner will be torn down by May 1 to make way for new construction.

A group of residents interested in preserving the historic house met Tuesday night at the home of Mrs. Raymond C. Prime to discuss plans to save it.

A first step, according to expert advice which they have received, is to form a historical society. With a charter as a nonprofit organization, funds can be raised for the project of moving the Red House.

(The News followed up on the formation of a historical society in subsequent issues. This is from the May 25, 1961 issue.)

Society organizes

The second organizational meeting of the Lake Placid-North Eba Historical Society was held in the Lake Placid Public Library on May 18. The bylaws were adopted, and officers and trustees were elected to serve until the first annual meeting in July.

Mrs. Raymond C. Prime was elected president; Mrs. Luke Perkins, vice president; Mary MacKenzie, secretary; and J. Vernon Lamb Jr., treasurer.

Trustees are Charles W. Holt, Mrs. Merrill Thomas, Miss Louise Williams, Roland Urfirer, Mrs. Lloyd Sanderson and James Shea.

The first objective of the society is to receive a provisional charter from the State Education Department, which will allow it to function as a tax-free organization and receive gifts that will be tax deductible.

(The following was part of a story written by Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society Secretary Mary MacKenzie in the June 8 issue of the News.)

Red House razed

A familiar landmark vanished last week from the corner of Main Street and Saranac Avenue when the Old Red House, in its quiet setting of cedars and birches, was razed to make room for Peter Roland’s new motel.

Despite all the efforts of a local group to preserve it, the problems and costs of moving the Red House to a new site could not be overcome. The Red House was originally built as a farm home in 1852 by Joseph V. Nash, an early settler and the son of Remembrance Nash of Whiting, Vermont. Remembrance preceded his son to the Adirondacks, first settling in Keene and later joining Joseph in North Elba. The Red House was the first building in the upper village.

(This week, LPNEHS Director Courtney Bastian said the organization applied for a state Board of Regents charter in August 1961 and a provisional charter was approved that October. In 1963, the society applied for tax exempt status and was approved. In 1967, it was awarded the charter and the train depot.)

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