1900 Stoddard Map of the Adirondacks, New York

This is a 1900 Seneca Ray Stoddard map of the Adirondacks, New York, highlighting the Adirondack State Park. This is one of the earliest obtainable commercial maps of the Adirondack Wilderness, published not long after the park's founding, at the height of the Naturalist Movement and the Adirondack Gilded Age. Stoddard's maps are much admired for expressing not only the geography, but also the character of the Adirondacks.

The Naturalist Movement and Adirondack Gilded Age

This map represents the region at the height of the Naturalist Movement, wherein it was believed a direct experience with the divine could be attained through intimate interaction with nature. Unlike most state parks, the Adirondack Wilderness is a unique synthesis of public and private lands, complete with full towns, an established road and railroad network, and industry - all constructed within the protective environmental standards of a state administered park. This unique combination of factors transformed the Adirondacks into a forest haven for the elite of New York, Boston, and the Hudson Valley. The park became synonymous with names like Vanderbilt and Rockefeller, who established 'rustic' estates on Raquette, Upper Saranac, and other lakes. For other Naturalists of slightly less means, the Great Camps were established. The Adirondack Great Camps were lavish 'glamping' hotels deep in the Adirondacks with access to some of the region's most spectacular nature. Many of these are noted here.

A Closer Look

In a unique cartographic flourish, Stoddard embraces the greater Adirondack area in a broad three-quarter sphere extending from Lake George and Lake Champlain to Lewis County, with pink overprinting emphasizing the newly created state park. Roads and railroads, including the Chateaugay Railroad, the Adirondack Railroad, the Northern Adirondack Railroad, and the New York and Canada Railroad are identified - all of which provide a convenient network to access the region. Numerous other lakes are illustrated, including Lake Placid. Mountain peaks are identified as well, along with the all-important ponds, brooks, and rivers.

The Adirondack Park

The Adirondack State Park, part of the New York Forest Preserve, was established in 1892 'for the free use of all … for their health and pleasure'. In 1884, a state legislative commission chaired by botanist Charles Sprague Sargent recommended the establishment of an Adirondack Mountain forest preserve. The New York State Legislature formally adopted the suggestion one year later and designated state-owned lands within certain counties in the Adirondacks and Catskills to be 'forever kept wild'. In 1894, the Adirondack State Park was formally enshrined as an amendment to the New York State Constitution.

Unlike most state parks, the Adirondack Park is not a cohesive unit fully owned by the state. Some 52% of the park is privately owned. The park includes more than 100 towns and villages, as well as farms, private homes, and active timbering zones. The complex ownership structure led to unique administrative challenges and the need for comprehensive large-scale maps like this one.

Publication History and Census

This map was created and published by Seneca Ray Stoddard and first engraved and printed by Louis E. Neuman and Company in 1895. The present example was revised to 1905 - making it the 22nd edition. This map is well represented institutionally, however, due to inconsistencies in cataloging, it is difficult to discern which of the at least 27 editions of Stoddard's map of the Adirondacks are represented by catalog entries in the OCLC.