Exploring The Adirondacks: An Architectural Tour of A Great Rustic Tradition
by Steven Engelhart, Executive Director, Adirondack Architectural Heritage

Thursday, March 9th, Lecture at 8PM.

Come a little early - the doors open at 7:30PM - or stay a little late and enjoy conversation and refreshments. Proceeds benefit Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. Tickets are $12, available at the door (Hillside Club members $8). The Hillside Club is at 2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley.

The lecture will highlight one of the special regions in the country where arts and crafts design is a major influence in the furniture and architectural style. The area is The Adirondack State Park in the northern section of New York State. The Park, a six million acre mixture of public and private lands and the largest park in the continental United States, was established in 1894. It includes vast forests, hundreds of mountains, thousands of lakes and ponds, and miles of wild and scenic rivers. During the late 19th century, sportsman and others came to the Adirondacks seeking recreation and revitalization int eh wild places of the region. The slide lecture will show how resident builders and professional architects developed a rustic style of architecture that is best represented by a series of building complexes know as Great Camps. These buildings and their furnishings were typically built for wealthy urban clients and constructed with a variety of local, natural materials so that they were harmonious with the rugged Adirondack landscape.

Steven Engelhart is the Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the regional historic preservation organization of the Adirondack Park. Among AARCH’s many activities are: sponsoring a series of tours of historic places during the summer and fall; conduction workshops; publishing a newsletter; staffing Camp Santanoni; and provides technical assistance to individuals, organizations and local governments. Steven is a native of the Adirondack region and has a master’s degree in historic preservation for the University of Vermont. He authored Crossing the River: Historic Bridges of the AuSable River.

Following the slide presentation, information about a six-day AARCH tour will be discussed. The tour dates are September 9-15, and a detailed itinerary will describe the daily travel to Great Camps, historic buildings, and other sites of interest.

For more information, e-mail jeffrey@sellon.com, call 415-332-7026 or visit the Hillside Club website at www.hillsideclub.org.