TAHAWUS OR ADIRONDAK

NAME: Tahawus or Adirondak
COUNTY: essex
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 2
CLIMATE: Lots of snow in winter, lots of bugs springtime
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Late summer, early fall
COMMENTS: Zero residents, it's in the Adirondac Park. Iron ore mines from the beginning up to the 1940's. Lots of buildings remaining in the town. "Highway" 25 runs north to the town, one way in, one way out.The mining factory, was torn down around three years ago. There is a new operating mining site, but it’s closed to visitors.
REMAINS: Many homes, original furnace, and 1940's mine buildings.

Town began when iron ore was first discovered in the mountains back in the early 1800's. Difficulties refining the ore due to an unknown impurity (titanium) cause the mine to shut down until the turn of the century. The original McIntyre furnace still stands and is a most impressive monolith, 50-60 ft. tall. Some of the very old machinery can still be located in the surrounding forest and along the Hudson(?) river. Just beyond the huge chimney lies the town and the end of the road. The road still continues but is closed to motorized vechicles. Many of the buildings in the town, which is called either Tahawus or Adirondak, are still in fair shape. Not safe to enter, but easy enough to figure out private residence, business or hotel. This ghost town is the best I seen outside Ontario. I only wish I had brought my camera. A complete model of the original mining operation can can be seen at the Adirondac Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY. This museum is well worth the visit and has tons of information on many other ghost towns, lumbering, mining towns, in the Adirondac Mountains. Submitted by: John vanBaal

They paved the road right down what would have been the main street that leads to a parking lot for a bunch of hiking trails. we rolled around the corner comming into the town to find a parking lot full with about forty cars, people everywhere. if your looking for a ghost town that has a ghostly feel about it this is not the place to go. if you don't mind being in a ghost town that seems to have more life than most small towns you go through than it's o.k., but still not great. we were just there Aug. 28, 2010. i will be submitting some pics soon that will show what i'm saying. Wes Killam

You mention how it was the place Teddy Roosevelt found out he was elected president. That is incorrect. It is where then Vice President Theodore Roosevelt learned President William McKinley was dying so he knew would become president.

Another thing, is I was just there a few months ago and The Open Space Institute purchased Tahawus and they have installed railings and signs explaining what happened at the blast furnace site. There was a time you could explore the blast furnace site freely and I have a feeling, after what I saw last time I was there, that might not be possible in the future.
Wendy McLaughlin


National Lead Industries Mine works. Abandoned on private property.
Courtesy Mike Woodfin


Adirondack Street
Courtesy Mike Woodfin


Jet Lowe, Photographer, June 1978. MACNAUGHTON COTTAGE. BANK WAS IN THE RIGHT WING OF THE BUILDING. THIS IS THE ONLY 1840'S BUILDING STILL STANDING IN THE ADIRONDAC VILLAGE.


This is approximately the same view down the street of Adirondac Village today July 2002 Mike Woodfin, Photographer


1800's blast furnace
Courtesy Mike Woodfin


National Lead Industries abandoned mine works
Courtesy Mike Woodfin


This is the MacNaughton Cottage July 2002. Mike Woodfin, Photographer


Renovated building, where Theodore Roosevelt stayed when he received the message that he was elected president
Courtesy Phillip


Tahawus
Courtesy Phillip


Tahawus
Courtesy Phillip


Tahawus
Courtesy Phillip


Furnace Remodel Closeup
Courtesy Adam Tuper
House on far side of river
Courtesy Adam Tuper


Fire Place
Courtesy Adam Tuper


Pump House
Courtesy Adam Tuper

 


Tahawus
Courtesy alanms00@hotmail.com


Tahawus
Courtesy alanms00@hotmail.com


Tahawus
Courtesy alanms00@hotmail.com


Tahawus
Courtesy alanms00@hotmail.com


Tahawus
Courtesy alanms00@hotmail.com


Tahawus
Courtesy alanms00@hotmail.com


Tahawus
Courtesy alanms00@hotmail.com


This house is at the other end of the Adirondac Street
Courtesy Mike Woodfin


Courtesy of The Adirondak Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY


Courtesy of The Adirondak Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY


Courtesy of The Adirondak Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY


Renovated building, where Theodore Roosevelt stayed when he received the message that he was elected president


View of furnace from the inside looking up
Courtesy Adam Tuper


Furnace Machinery
Courtesy Adam Tuper


Furnace Machinery
Courtesy Adam Tuper


Furnace with top remodeled
Courtesy Adam Tuper


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