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The Nawakwa Outdoor Association of New York, Inc.

100 Years: Nawakwa Handbook

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A series of posts as we look forward to the 100th Anniversary of ADKNY in 2023

 

Camp Handbook, c. 1926

Today’s document is contributed by Geoff Weaver.  It was difficult to read and so I retyped it.  The author is unknown to both Geoff and me.  During the early years, many written documents were not attributed to any one member.  Perhaps the Chapter was small in number of members and they knew each other quite well so saw no reason to sign anything.  The early newsletters have no Editor mentioned.  What they had was a good sense of humor.

Ellen King,
Archives Committee

 

Click here for the full Nawakwa Handbook c.1926

 

100 Years: “The Hiker”

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A series of posts as we look forward to the 100th Anniversary of ADKNY in 2023

Before there was a “Trail Marker”, there was “The Hiker”

It had a short life and this is one of the first issues. It is #5 but it is the first issue that I have in our records. Again, the Editor remains a mystery.

Some issues never change such as the directive that “the Annual Meeting will not be a time for criticism of any one or any thing.” Some things have changed: we no longer require a dressing room accommodation for the dinner dance that was part of the Annual Meeting.

Why are there no hikes nor outings listed? There was a separate quarterly publication, “Schedule of Hikes and Outings”, that was published in beautiful small booklets from 1923 – 1952. Copies of these were carefully preserved so more on these in future posts.

The Hiker 01_20_1925

 

Ellen King,
Archives Committee

 

Page 1 of 3. Click the link above for the full file.

100 Years: New Camp on Lake Sebago

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A series of posts as we look forward to the 100th Anniversary of ADKNY in 2023

 

This issue of The Trail Marker introduces the ‘New Camp’ at Lake Sebago

The following issue of The Trail Marker, March 3, 1926, includes this COUNCIL ACTION: “On Tuesday, January 12, 1926, at a regular meeting of the Council at which a full attendance was present the charges presented against Chester A. Frankenstein by the Camp Committee were sustained by the Council.  Mr. Frankenstein has, therefore, been dropped from the membership list.  The principal charge was the admitted fact of openly bringing liquor to Camp Blue Bird.”

When the Chapter started, what we refer to as the Board of Directors was called the Council.

Ellen King,
Archives Committee


02 11 1926 Trail Marker

 

100 Years: Camp Quannacut

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A series of posts as we look forward to the 100th Anniversary of ADKNY in 2023

Camp Quannacut

About Camp Quannacut, where the NY Chapter spent April and May of 1924, as well as a bit of history on the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in that same year.

From 24th Annual Report of the Commissioners of the Palisades Interstate Park, Jan 31, 1924:

The Annual Report includes this description:  “The largest of the present winter camps is Quannacut in the Queensboro Valley, four miles from Bear Mountain.  The plan for operating this camp is fairly typical of them all.  It is open to mixed groups up to the number of 35, under proper chaperonage, or to separate groups of men or women.  The minimum rental is $20 from Saturday morning until Sunday night for 20 persons.  For each person over this number $1 is added to the rental charge.

Transportation from the railroad station at Bear Mountain to the camp is provided by the Commission at 50 cents for each passenger.  Food supplies purchased locally are delivered at the camp.  Quannacut camp is heated by a pipeless furnace and fireplaces and is taken care of by a resident caretaker and his wife, whose services may be secured over a week-end to help with the cooking and cleaning.  At Quannacut the Commission has constructed a toboggan slide.  Toboggans, skis and snow shoes are rented to campers. Queensboro Lake offers exceptionally good skiing.”

The Automobile Association of America ( published 1919), published a book promoting motor travel in the northeast.  It includes an article by George W. Perkins, Commissioner of the Palisades Interstate Park, Sight-Seeing in Palisades Interstate Park. He refers to Queensboro: “I doubt whether there is, anywhere in the East, such beauty of scenery as that embraced within this and other trips in the Harriman region of the park”.  “To go to Queensboro, one skirts the beautiful Bear Mountain groves and grounds”.

Queensboro Lake is referred to in the 1913 US Military Academy annual report from West Point.  At the time they used it for their water supply.

The report breaks down the number of visitors to the park that year –  5,388,644 – arriving by

  • Steamboat – 630,543
  • Automobile – 4,640,000
  • Train – 94,832
  • Motorboat – 23,269

George Perkins, Jr. was responsible for the “Third Gift Fund,” the initial money that created the Palisades Interstate Park. New York State contributed $1,000,000. Private donors included J. P. Morgan’s son Jack; Colman DuPont, President of E.I. DuPont; Edward S. Harness, American philanthropist;  Cleveland Dodge, Phelps Dodge mining, and the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Memorial.

The Palisades Interstate Park Commission was founded in 1900.

Harriman State Park was founded in 1910.

Bear Mountain State Park was founded in 1913.

The NY Chapter, ADK was founded in 1923.

 

Ellen King,
Archives Committee

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Founded in 1923, the Nawakwa Outdoor Association of New York, Inc. is a membership organization dedicated to the enjoyment of the outdoors through hiking, walking, camping, swimming, skiing, sailing, canoeing, and kayaking, and to the conservation and preservation of our wilderness, particularly the mountains, lakes, trails, and camping areas of the metropolitan New York region.