Introduction: For Christmas 2025 my SIL gifted my husband an incredibly clever present of an eight-inch-tall stuffed raccoon named ‘Roni’ that also happened to be the Olympics mascot for the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics (we’re a big Adirondacks family). About a month later I started taking a creative writing class at GCC (our local community college), which is a subject that I always struggled with because with my true crime articles, everything is very structured, and black and white, and because of this I don’t often have to think outside the box. So… one night in early March, I started thinking about something I could do around our upcoming trip to Lake Placid (since most of my vacations revolve around some sort of writing project) and ‘the Adventures of Roni the Raccoon’ was born. I had a lot of fun with the first article, and it was great having my husband involved with something: he’s gone to some local true crime related places with me (think, Air BnB’s) but he never really tagged along to take pictures or investigate. It was fun doing something together. And going back to the area in the summer gave us a totally different perspective, as well as new things to explore (both activity and food-wise).
Background/History: Lake Placid is a village in Essex County, New York that is located near the southern end of the actual Lake Placid; it is inside the Adirondack Mountains and is close to the center of North Elba, and its population in the 2020 census was 2,205. Also in 2020, the average resident was 45.8 years old, 13.7% of its people were under the age of 18, and 19.7% were 65 years or older. According to the United States Census Bureau, the village is made up of a total area of 1.5 square miles, of which 1.4 square miles is land and 0.15 square miles (or 10.79%) is water. In the village, 33% of housing units are classified as ‘seasonally vacant,’ meaning they are strictly used only for ‘vacation purposes’ and are owned as second homes, vacation rentals (Air BnB/Vrbo), or seasonal properties.
According to the Köppen classification system, Lake Placid has a warm-summer, humid continental climate (or Dfb), which are warm-summer humid continental climates that feature four distinct seasons; they are characterized by long, cold winters and mild, cool summers and there is consistent precipitation all year with no dry season and the average temperatures stays below 71.6° F in the warmest month. The three-letter breakdown for this climate zone means the following: D (Continental): The region experiences significant seasonal temperature differences, featuring freezing, snowy winters. The ‘f’ stands for ‘Fully humid,’ meaning there is no significant dry season, and precipitation is relatively even throughout the year., and lastly ‘b’ refers to ‘Warm Summer,’ meaning the summer months are warm but not hot.
According to the AW Kuchler US potential natural vegetation types, Lake Placid has a dominant vegetation type of Northern Hardwoods/Spruce (108) (using the USDA Forest Service classification system) and has a dominant vegetation form of Northern Hardwoods (23). The plant hardiness zone is 4a, meaning it is a geographic region where the average annual lowest winter temperature drops to between -30°F and -25°F and it experiences long, very cold winters and a short growing season, therefore plants that grow here must be extremely cold-hardy to survive the frigid temperatures.
The actual body of water (Lake Placid itself) consists of approximately 2,170 acres and averages about fifty feet deep; it has an elevation of 1,858 feet, consists of 2,173 acres, is around ~4 miles long/1.5 miles wide, and has a maximum depth of 151 feet. It fills a natural geologic basin, and drains the McKenzie Mountains to the west, Whiteface Mountain to the north and Mount Whitney to the east and is divided into two lobes (East Lake and West Lake) by a peninsula at the lake’s south end. It also contains three islands: Buck, Moose and Hawk; Sunset and Shelter Straits separate the cape from Buck Island and Buck from Moose.
The village of Lake Placid developed an iron ore mining operation, and by 1840, the population of ‘North Elba’ consisted of a mere six families and was located four miles southeast of the where it is today. In 1845, the philanthropist and abolitionist Gerrit Smith arrived in the area and bought a great deal of land around the village and granted large tracts to former slaves (which is a specific, continuous area of land that serves as a distinct legal unit), and helped reformed the laws related to land ownership.
John Brown heard about Smith’s reforms and in May 1849 he left his anti-slavery activities in Kansas and bought 244 acres of land in North Elba (which he bought for a whopping $244), a parcel that later became known as the ‘Freed Slave Utopian Experiment,’ Timbuctoo. Brown was a radical abolitionist who believed that armed insurrection was the only way to overthrow slavery in the US, and unlike most anti-slavery activists of his time who advocated for peaceful political reform, he often resorted to extreme violence and guerrilla warfare to get his point across. When he was executed in 1859 following the Harpers Ferry Raid, Browne’s wife buried him at their Lake Placid home, and today you can pay a visit to ‘the John Brown Farm State Historic Site’ in North Elba (which is now a National Historic Landmark). Also on the National Register in Lake Placid is the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run, New York Central Railroad Adirondack Division Historic District, and US Post Office.
Winter Sports: Lake Placid’s deep entanglement with winter sports began with Melvil Dewey in the late 1800’s, who at the time was the director of the New York State Library (he also invented the Dewey Decimal Classification System). Dewey (along with his wife, Annie) designed what was then called the ‘Placid Park Club’ in 1895, which was a social and recreation club, which inspired the area to change its name to Lake Placid in 1900. Choosing to ignore his skeptics, Dewey brought in a large amount of sports equipment from Europe to the Lake Placid Club in the fall of 1904, so his business didn’t have to close the followingwinter; luckily, it worked out well for him and was a success. Along with his son (Godfrey), Dewey eventually started promoting winter sports in the area, and as a result an iconic winter resort was born. Interestingly enough, Lake Placid is one of only three places in the world to host the Winter Olympic Games twice, the other two being St. Moritz, Switzerland in 1928 and 1948 and Innsbruck, Austria in 1964 and 1976.
George White served as the first postmaster and town supervisor of the nearby settlement of Newman (now part of the Lake Placid area) starting in 1875, and he continued to serve in these leadership roles and as a businessman through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He built the White Opera House in 1895, which still stands today on the banks of the Chubb River and at one time had seating for 500 people (today it is the home to Lisa G’s Restaurant). As the beautiful surroundings of Lake Placid became more known to people of nearby NYC, filmmakers including Harry Handworth started to use the village and its surroundings for shooting silent films around 1914; many movies, among them News Parade, Summer Bachelors, The Avalanche, and Out of the Snows, were shot in the area.
By 1921, Lake Placid boasted a ski jump, speed skating venue, and ski association and in 1929, Melvil’s son Godfrey was able to convince the International Olympic Committee that it had the best winter sports facilities in the United States. In 1932 Melvin Dewey secured the bid to host the third ever US Olympic Winter Games, and The Lake Placid Club was the headquarters for the International Olympic Committee for the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. It is also important to mention that The LPC did not allow Jews or Catholics, but there were other hotels in the area that did cater to them: especially around the time of World War Two, many cosmopolitan refugees from Hitler’s Germany and Austria spent their summers in Lake Placid. The original, historic Lake Placid Club ceased operations as a singular resort on March 30, 1980 right after it served as the headquarters for the IOC. While the original 9,600-acre resort grounds and its massive main buildings were later largely demolished or split up, the property lives on today through multiple active and separate entities (and a massive 45-hole golf course!).
Oddly enough, one Lake Placid wasn’t enough for Melvin Dewey and in 1925 he went to Lake Stearns, Florida and proposed to their local government that they change their name to his favorite place; for some reason they agreed, and in 1927 America’s second Lake Placid was officially established.
Jack Shea (who was a resident of the village at the time), became the first person to win two gold medals when he doubled in speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics. Lake Placid was also the site of the legendary ‘Miracle on Ice’ hockey game that took place on February 22, 1980, when Team USA (which was made up of young American college students) beat the heavily favored Soviet Union team, 4-3. It’s worth mentioning that the Soviets were all professional athletes who had won the previous four Olympic gold medals. Also during the 1980 Winter Olympics, American speed-skater Eric Heiden won five gold medals, which is a feat that has not been accomplished since.
Nicknamed ‘The Olympic Village, Lake Placid became known internationally for hosting the Winter Olympic games in both 1932 and 1980; it also hosted the 1972 and 2023 Winter World University Games as well as the 2000 Goodwill Winter Games. The Winter Empire State Games have also been held here every February since their inception in 1981, and The Lake Placid ice dance competition takes place annually in July or August in the 1980 Olympic Arena. The Lake Placid Summit Classic Lacrosse Tournament is held every August (since 1990) and has roughly 250 teams that participate in it. The World University Games took place there on two occasions (1972 and 2023) and they also hosted the 1972 Winter Universiade, which was an international winter sports event for college students. Lake Placid was also home to the 2023 Winter World University Games and the 2000 Goodwill Winter Games.
The Happy Hour Theatre: located directly on Mirror Lake, The Happy Hour Theatre was the first movie house in Lake Placid and was in business from 1911 to 1928. The Adirondack Theatre Corporation bought it in the 1920’s (who also owned and operated the newer Palace Theatre, which opened in 1926) on the same street. Movies were also shown several times a week at the Lake Placid Club, and in 1969, The Harbor Theatre (which was at times referred to locally as ‘The Holiday Harbor Theatre’ due to its proximity to the Holiday Harbor marina area) opened on the shores of Lake Placid and showed movies until 1986. The Palace Theatre is still operating at its original vintage location on Main Street.
Golf: Lake Placid built its first golf course in 1898 with the opening of the links at The Whiteface Inn, which was one of the first ever created in the US; the area now boasts more golf courses than any other venue in the Adirondacks. The geographic features of the Adirondacks are considered reminiscent of the Scottish landscape, which is where the game originated. Mountain golf is played at high altitudes and features courses that have steep slopes, uneven lies, and scenic views; also the thin air means less resistance, so the golf ball travels much further than it does near sea level.
The sport boomed in area during the early 1900’s thanks to the Lake Placid Club, which expanded to include the Links Course in 1909 and Mountain Course the following year, which was designed by golf legends Seymour Dunn and Alister MacKenzie. As of July 2026 Lake Placid has three main golf locations offering a total of 56 holes: The Lake Placid Club, which is a massive 45-hole facility with the Links course (18 holes), Mountain course (18 holes), and Pristine short course (9 holes). There’s also The Whiteface Club & Resort, which features an 18-hole championship course designed by Walter Travis and The Craig Wood Golf Course, which is a scenic 18-hole public course owned by the Town of North Elba.
Ironman Triathlon: Since 1999 Lake Placid has been a site for the annual Ironman Lake Placid Triathlon (officially referred to as the Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid), which is the second oldest Ironman competition in North America; is also one of ten official Ironman Triathlons held in the continental US. The Lake Placid Ironman is one of the sport’s most legendary and honest courses and it takes full advantage of the region’s historic Olympic infrastructure as well as the demanding terrain of the Adirondack Mountains.
The 2026 competition will take place on Sunday, July 19, 2026, and athletes will take on a total grueling distance of 140.6 miles that must be finished under a strict seventeen-hour timeframe.The swimming portion consists of a 2.4 mile long loop and is held in Mirror Lake; it is highly famous for its underwater cable (which lies around five to six feet deep), which athletes visually follow like a guideline to swim perfectly straight lines. The biking part is 112 miles long and is comprised of a difficult two-loop route throughout the Adirondack Park and features over 6,000 feet of total elevation gain; it includes sweeping, fast descents down into Keene and is followed by challenging, sustained climbs back up into the mountain towns. The last part is running a full marathon: 26.2 miles along a rolling double loop that winds through downtown Lake Placid, along the river, and right past the historic Lake Placid Club. The race finishes outside the iconic Olympic Speed Skating Oval, the legendary site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games.
Skiing: Lake Placid is well known among winter-sports enthusiasts for its skiing, both Alpine and Nordic. Alpine skiing (which is also known as downhill skiing) emphasizes speed and adrenaline and uses gravity and ski lifts at resorts to ride down steep mountains; skis are shorter and wider and have ‘locked-in heels’ for control, and boots are stiff. Nordic skiing on the other hand (which is also referred to as cross-country skiing), relies on human power and endurance to travel across flat or rolling terrain. Skis are long and narrow, and bindings only attach at the toe, which leaves the heel free to lift for a natural walking or gliding motion.\
I’m not going to go too in depth about Whiteface (as I covered it fairly in-depth for my March article), but it is 4,867 feet tall and located in nearby Wilmington; it is around thirteen miles away from Lake Placid, and offers skiing, hiking, gondola rides, and mountain biking and is the only one of the High Peaks that can be reached by roadway. It has a vertical elevation of 3,430 feet (which is the highest vertical elevation in Eastern North America) and contains one of only sixteen bobsled runs in the Western Hemisphere.
Mirror Lake: during the cold, winter months Mirror Lake is another big draw to Lake Placid, as there’s a variety of activities to partake in, including snowshoeing, pond hockey, dogsled rides, tobogganing, cross-country skiing, and recreational ice skating on the two-mile long, plowed track that surrounds it (which was first created during the winter of 2014). The toboggan chute on Mirror Lake has been rebuilt in recent years, but there’s some cool history about its predecessor, as it was made from a recycled ski jump that was moved from its original location at the Lake Placid Club in the 1960’s. Today, the thirty-foot-high slide sends toboggans down ice covered chutes onto frozen Mirror Lake and is usually open by the beginning or middle of January and usually closes early spring (in spring 2026 operations concluded on March 6th).
The Lake Placid Sinfonietta: The area is also home to the Lake Placid Sinfonietta, a professional summer chamber orchestra that was established in 1917 and is made up of twenty top musicians from across the US. Known affectionately as ‘The Orchestra of the Adirondacks,’ outside of their summer residency, these musicians perform with prominent national symphonies (such as the Rochester Philharmonic and the Alabama Symphony) and serve on elite university music faculties. Under the leadership of Music Director Stuart Malina, the Sinfonietta structures its summer seasons around three core concert series:The Park Series (which are free, family-friendly outdoor concerts held on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM), The Symphony Series (a ticketed series that features full masterworks, distinguished soloists, and guest artists that are hosted on Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM across elegant local venues like St. Agnes Church), and The Adirondack Series (which is designed to strengthen regional community engagement and brings special classical and pops programming out to unique alternate venues and historic sites across the Adirondacks).
Shopping: Another big draw to Lake Placid is shopping along Main Street, which is fun to do at any time of year (although I am more likely to eat ice cream while spending money in the summer versus the winter). The cheerful stretch of roadway features a variety of different local eateries, souvenir shops, and the Lake Placid Olympic Museum; the area also features a thriving local craft beer scene, like the legendary Lake Placid Pub and Brewery (home to the famous Ubu Ale) and Big Slide Brewery.
The Wild Center: one thing that my husband and I both greatly enjoyed while on our vacation (despite not having children) was The Wild Cener, which was a fifty-minute drive from our Air BnB in Saranac Lake. Formerly known as the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, The Wild Center is a natural history center in Tupper Lake, NY near the center of the Adirondack Park and was founded in 1998 by Elizabeth Lowe. The museum opened in 2006 and in 2015 the outdoor Wild Walk exhibit opened to the public, which consists of over a thousand feet of bridges, pathways, and platforms.
The center mixes up the indoors and outdoors and sits on a 115-acre campus; it has five primary indoor exhibit areas (along with approximately fifty species of live animals) and outdoor exhibits that take visitors into the various ecosystems that surround the center. There are canoe trips available on the river that runs through its campus, and daily guided trail walks are also offered (which are done with complimentary snowshoes in the winter).
Site of the Future Winter Olympics?? In June 2026, New York state Governor Kathy Hochul formed an exploratory committee to study a potential joint NYC/Lake Placid bid for the 2042 Winter Olympics which will spend one year evaluating the logistical, environmental, and financial feasibility of a dual-city hosting model before presenting its recommendations. The proposed model draws inspiration from the multi-site layout demonstrated during the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and current concepts propose hosting outdoor snow and sliding disciplines (like bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton) in Lake Placid’s existing venues, while NYC’s high-capacity arenas like Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center would support indoor ice events. Because the 2034 games are awarded to Salt Lake City and Switzerland is the preferred bidder for 2038, 2042 is the first available opportunity for NYC to pursue a formal bid.
Interesting Facts about Lake Placid: (1) the term ‘vacation’ was coined there in the 19th century when NYC’s elite started ‘vacating’ the city in search for the cool northern woods and fresh air of the Adirondacks each summer, and ever since then Americans have ‘gone on vacation.’
(2) Lake Placid is one of the purest lakes on earth: only 2.5% of the water on earth is fresh water, and of that only 1% is suitable for drinking. Lake Placid is included in that 1% and is classified as AA-Special, the highest rating for water quality.
Some interesting facts about The Adirondack Mountains: they’re so big you could fit Glacier, Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Grand Canyon National Parks inside of it. They span an incredible 6.1 million acres and cover almost 20% of New York state, and they are the largest protected natural area in the lower 48 states: more than 2.5 million acres of its mountains, streams, and woods are protected under the Forever Wild status, which was established in 1892 and added to the New York State Constitution in 1894. It prohibits the removal, sale, or destruction of timber and ensures that the forests cannot be developed, logged, or used for commercial purposes and guarantees that they remain as wild forest lands forever.
A map of the Village of Lake Placid in the Adirondacks.Some laws and rules surrounding Lake Placid. A map of the major roadways in Lake Placid along with its major landmarks.A map of Lake Placid courtesy of the local Chamber of Commerce.A 1953 US Geological Survey Topographic Map of Lake Placid, New York.New York’s Fresh Surface Water Classifications, courtesy of Google.A guide to decipher the Köppen classification system, courtesy of Valerya Milovanova.
A picture of philanthropist Gerrit Smith.A picture of John Brown.Melville Louis Kossuth ‘Melvil’ Dewey, an American librarian and educator who collected many accolades over the years: he created the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, was a founder of the Lake Placid Club, was a chief librarian at Columbia College, was a founder of what would later become the Columbia University School of Library Service and was a founding member of the American Library Association. Although his contributions to the modern library are widely recognized, his legacy is marred by his sexual harassment of female colleagues, as well as his racism and antisemitism; he died on December 26, 1931.Some information bout Florida’s Lake Placid. George White. The 1980 USA men’s hockey team. An advertisement for a book about the 1980 Miracle on Ice hockey game that was published in The Buffalo News on March 16, 1980.Roni at ‘Marion’s cabin’ at the Happy Pastures Campground (which is located located between Skaneateles and Otisco Lakes in the town of Spafford), which is where we stayed the first night of our journey (it worked out that on Friday I took a half day at work and my husband’s soccer game was cancelled so we decided to roll with it and book a place somewhere mid-way). It was a pretty bare bones and didn’t even have a bathroom (I’m willing to take a walk to pee, because I’m cheap), but it did have a fire pit, a picnic table, and rustic surroundings.The logo for Happy Pastures Campground.An aerial shot of Happy Pastures Campground, located between Skaneateles and Otisco Lakes in the town of Spafford.The iconic ‘Entering Adirondack Park’ sign is a beloved landmark for travelers arriving in Upstate New York. Shaped like the unique, jagged outline of the Adirondack. Blue Line border, the traditional sign features a rustic wooden backing with distinct yellow or gold lettering. They are managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and mark the boundaries of the 6-million-acre park. Photo courtesy of John Ziolkowski.Roni in front of the iconic wooden welcome sign for the village of Lake Placid, which acknowledges its famous history as the site of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games. Roni at Origins Coffee Company, which is a popular, women-owned specialty shop located in the heart of Lake Placid that is known for its cozy atmosphere complete with an indoor fireplace. It serves as a favorite local hub for specialty espresso drinks, fresh bakery items, and chef-driven breakfast and lunch options.A screen grab from the Origin’s Coffee website about the owners.Formerly known as ‘The Lake Placid Antique Center,’ Vintage Antiques opened in the early 1980’s and is located right in the heart of downtown Lake Placid across from the Olympic Oval. It features an extensive variety of antiques, 1932 and 1980 Olympic memorabilia, vintage ice skates, and custom stained-glass lamps.The Penalty Box Arcade in Lake Placid, which opened in March 2025. The shop has a deeply nostalgic historical concept that seamlessly blends the local heritage of hockey with a classic retro gaming experience; it was established by passionate local hockey players and fans who wanted to build an energetic, family-friendly space celebrating both the sport and retro gaming culture.Originally constructed in 1922 to accommodate a booming student population, Lake Placid Middle and High School was expanded in the mid-1930s with assistance from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works. During the first Lake Placid 1932 Winter Olympics, the adjacent outdoor Speed Skating Oval (which was co-owned by the school district) served as the venue where local legend Jack Shea won two gold medals. Decades later, during the 1980 Winter Olympics, the school was issued a temporary liquor license and served as a bar for visitors, standing out as the only high school in the United States to hold one.The James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval in Lake Placid, which is a world-renowned outdoor sports facility deeply rooted in Olympic history. It is celebrated as the venue where American speed skater Eric Heiden won an unprecedented five individual gold medals during the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. Located in the heart of Lake Placid village adjacent to the Olympic Center, it remains one of the few outdoor, refrigerated Olympic-sized speed skating ovals still operating in the US.The speed skating circle in front of Lake Placid Middle and High School, which adapts dynamically to the seasons: during the winter, it opens up for outdoor ice skating and continues to host long-track speed skating competitions and training sessions. In the summer months, the ice is cleared so visitors can enjoy outdoor inline skating. Skate rentals (for both ice and inline skating) are available directly at the oval.An aerial shot of the village of Lake Placid.John Amos Shea (aka ‘The Chief’) was a double-gold medalist in speed skating at the 1932 Olympics and was the first American to win two gold medals at one Winter Olympics; Shea died on January 22, 2002.Roni standing outside of the Herb Brooks Arena at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, which is famous for hosting the 1980 ‘Miracle on Ice’ hockey game. The venue was recently renovated and features three indoor ice rinks and the outdoor speed skating oval, and the museum inside (the Lake Placid Olympic Museum) showcases artifacts and mementos from the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games.Herb Brooks, who was an American ice hockey player and the head coach of the 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team and is best known as the mastermind behind the historic ‘Miracle on Ice’ game; he died on August 11, 2003.Dr. Eric Heiden, who is an iconic American orthopedic surgeon and former long-track speed skater who is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history: he became a household name at the 1980 games by achieving a feat that remains unmatched in winter sports when he became the only athlete to win five individual gold medals in a single Olympics. Notably, the night before his final 10,000-meter race, Heiden stayed up late cheering on the US ‘Miracle on Ice’ game and overslept the following morning, but he still went on to win gold after rushing to the track with only a few slices of bread for breakfast.Roni in front of the Lake Placid Club Lodges, a resort property located at 30 Lake Placid Club Way. The main building features classic Adirondack-style architecture, which is recognizable by its dark brown facade, dark green window frames and trim, and prominent wooden balconies.Art Devlin’s Olympic Motor Inn in Lake Placid, NY (2764 Main Street), formerly known as Art Devlin’s Olympic Motor Inn. The property sits on the exact birthplace of Art Devlin Senior, who operated the inn for decades and was a central community figure who helped secure the 1980 Winter Olympics for Lake Placid. The distinctive Olympic rings mounted on the building’s facade were installed by Devlin before 1962, and because they predated the International Olympic Committee’s official trademarking of the symbol, the property was legally grandfathered in to display them. The main office lobby features a large, glass display case showcasing Art Devlin’s lifelong collection of international ski jumping trophies, medals, and unique Olympic memorabilia.Arthur ‘Art’ Donovan Devlin Senior, an Olympic Ski Jumper/Community Leader and a native and lifelong ambassador of Lake Placid that has a long standing legacy that spans multiple areas: during World War II he served as a B-24 bomber pilot in the US Army Air Corps, flying 50 combat missions over Europe; he went on to earn three Purple Hearts and three Distinguished Flying Crosses. He qualified for five US Olympic teams (1940, 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1960) and competed in the 1952 and 1956 Winter Games. He was inducted into the US Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1963 and for over two decades, served as a television sports commentator and color analyst for CBS and ABC Sports, frequently acting as the ‘voice of skiHello Jon! Good afternoon! Thank you so much for reaching out to United HealthCare! I hope your day is going well. My name is Jessica. How can I assist you today? jumping’ during Olympic broadcasts. He was also a vice-president of the organizing committee that successfully lobbied to bring the 1980 Winter Olympic Games to Lake Placid.Roni in front of Wildwood on the Lake, a family-owned, three-star lakeside motel located in Lake Placid. Operated by the Weber family since 1971, it functions as a relaxing ‘mini-resort’ destination and serves as a scenic, budget-friendly base camp for exploring the surrounding Adirondack region.The Town House Lodge in Lake Placid. Over the decades, it transitioned from a mid-century, roadside motor lodge into a modern, retro-inspired boutique property. It originated during the post-WWII American travel boom and was designed as a classic roadside motel that provided affordable, straightforward lodging for families, road-trippers, and outdoor enthusiasts coming to hike the High Peaks.The Maple Leaf Inn operates as a classic, comfortable 2-star budget-friendly motor lodge property located at 2234 Saranac Avenue. Positioned along Highway 86, the inn sits close to major landmarks like Paradox Bay, Mirror Lake, and downtown Main Street. Rather than the massive, all-inclusive luxury resort structures of the 19th century, the Maple Leaf Inn features a direct-access layout typical of mid-century motor lodges, and is engineered for independent tourists traveling via personal vehicles to nearby trailheads, ski slopes, and historic venue.Roni posing in front of The Pines Inn, a historic three-star hotel located at 2302 Saranac Ave in Lake Placid. Built originally in 1907 by Albert Stickney, from 1923 through the mid-20th century, it was famously known as the St. Moritz Hotel and operated as a bustling luxury getaway for historical figures (like Albert Einstein). It is recognized as the tallest building in Lake Placid Village, offering multi-story alpine views of the High Peaks. Roni outside of The Grand Adirondack Hotel is a historic, newly renovated 4-star property located at 2520 Main Street in Lake Placid. Originally built in 1927 as the Hotel Marcy, it has just a 5-minute walk from the Olympic Center and offers modern amenities, like high speed internet and pet-friendly rooms. The hotel features the Marcy Bar for locally inspired cocktails and artisanal dishes and is most famous for the Cloudsplitter, a seasonal rooftop bar that provides panoramic views of Mirror Lake and the Adirondack High Peaks skyline.Lake Placid Inn on Main Street. Situated directly on Lake Placid’s historic Main Street, these luxury apartment-style suites were designed based on direct feedback from early guests looking to stay in the heart of the village and feature full kitchens and accommodate larger groups of up to eight people.Roni in front of Generations Restaurant, a family-owned restaurant located at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort. German immigrants Wini and Stefanie Holderied bought the motel in 1974 and turned the property into a resort and opened the restaurant, which is currently being run by their grandchildren. The eatery offers casual American and Bavarian food and uses fresh, local ingredients from nearby Adirondack farms. Roni in front of Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, a family-friendly destination located at 2559 Main Street. Situated directly in the center of the village, it sits right on the shores of Mirror Lake. It offers immediate walking access to local boutiques, dining, and the historic Lake Placid Olympic Center and guests can access a private white sand beach with complimentary summer rentals for kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and stand-up paddleboards and the property hosts Generations Restaurant, which serves meals crafted from locally sourced Adirondack ingredientsSt. Agnes Catholic Church in Lake Placid, which is a prominent parish located just up the hill from Mirror Lake and one block off Main Street. It serves both the local community and visitors to the Adirondack region with a beautiful worship environment featuring artfully designed altars and stained-glass windows.Roni in front of St. Agnes Church, which is a Neo-Gothic brick Catholic church located at 169 Hillcrest Avenue in Lake Placid, New York. Construction on the current building began in 1924 and remarkably, instead of dismantling the previous wooden building that was built in 1915, the crew literally built the new building directly over the top of the old one. Roni in front of Saint Agnes School in Lake Placid, which is a private, Catholic early elementary center that provides a co-educational, faith-based learning community. It offers year-round childcare tailored for infants and toddlers and has academic programs ranging from pre-school through the third grade.The contemporary Lake Placid Baptist Church that operates today has a unique origin story that is tied directly to the 1980 Winter Olympics: during the games Southern Baptists organized a massive evangelism and outreach campaign to minister to athletes, locals, and global tourists. Out of that temporary Olympic ministry, a small, dedicated group of believers saw a permanent need for a Gospel-centered community in the mountain resort town and they formally planted the modern Lake Placid Baptist Church later that same year.The primary Jewish house of worship in the immediate area is the Lake Placid Synagogue, which serves as a historic, welcoming spiritual and cultural hub. It hosts regular Shabbat services, educational programming, community events, and seasonal High Holy Day services. The congregation also maintains the Lake Placid Synagogue Cemetery, located nearby on Old Military Road.The Lake Placid Synagogue is the only year-round synagogue in the Adirondack Park. One of the only things that remains of Melvin Dewey’s ‘Lake Placid Club’ is its gold course (which my husband played the last day of our trip), which is operated by the neighboring Crowne Plaza Lake Placid; it is the only 45-hole golf property in the Adirondacks. A wide-shot of Main Street in Lake Placid. The locally owned and operated Ben & Jerry’s is located at 2423 Main Street (directly across from the local movie theatre) directly in the heart of Lake Placid. Operating as a classic franchised scoop shop, it serves up the brand’s signature euphoric flavors, freshly baked waffle cones, sundaes, and custom ice cream cakes. While the shop is a staple, it faces friendly local competition; for example, the nearby local establishment ‘Emma’s Lake Placid Creamery’ recently beat them in a community wide ‘Battle of the Cones’ contest.The Bookstore Plus, located on the main drag in Lake Placid. It was created in 1973 and was originally opened by Nancy Beattie as a music and art shop; in 1977, she acquired an existing book shop and combined the operations to form the bookstore as it is known today.The far end of Main Street in Lake Placid (we were standing at Stewarts). A view of the mountains and Mirror Lake in the village of Lake Placid. A map of Mirror Lake, featuring its characteristics and bathymetry, which is the science of measuring and mapping the depths and terrain of underwater environments.A giant Adirondack chair sitting on the property shared by The Dack Shack restaurant and its sister deli, Simply Gourmet. The eatery was established in 2015 and before it was turned into The Dack Shack, the building famously served as a classic Howard Johnson’s restaurant.Toni in front of The Mellow Moose Cannabis Company, which is a licensed recreational cannabis dispensary located in Lake Placid. As the first dispensary approved for off-site consumption in the village following a local referendum, and it opened in late 2025 and occupies a newly renovated retail space that previously housed CrossFit Lake Placid.Roni posing with a (stuffed) moose at ‘The Mellow Moose Cannabis Company.’A poster of Roni inside ‘The Mellow Moose Cannabis Company.’Roni posing with some posters inside the ‘Locker Room 5,’ a local sporting goods and memorabilia store at 2573 Main Street. Its owners Jake and Erica opened the shop in 2017 and they named their store after the ‘Locker Room 5’ at the nearby Herb Brooks Arena, which is the famous room the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team used during the 1980 ‘Miracle on Ice.’Roni posing with another poster inside the ‘Locker Room 5.’Roni and the ’round building, located at 2345 Saranac Avenue is a former 1980 Winter Olympics gathering spot. The Adirondack Land Trust bought the vacant structure in 2026 for $2.1 million. They will renovate it into their new nonprofit headquarters. The inside of the ‘tound building,’ that was originally built for the 1980 Olympics as the Austrian House for athletes and fans and was later repurposed completely as a sporting goods store then again as the Aroma Round coffee shop; it was recently purchased by the Adirondack Land Trust to become their permanent headquarters. A b&w picture of The Palace Theatre, which opened in 1926 and was originally named ‘The Adirondack Theatre.’ The building featured vaudeville acts and silent films accompanied by a rare, 1926 Robert Morton theatre organ. The local Clark family purchased the theatrr in 1961. Reginald Clark bought it as a wedding gift for his wife, Barbara. The Clark family still operates and owns the cinema today.A 1926 Robert Morton theatre organ much like the one originally at Palace Theatre. Located in the largest main auditorium, the instrument is valued at roughly $357,000 (in modern equivalents) and includes rare acoustic ‘toys,’ like drums and whistles that were used for silent film soundtracks. Roni in front of The Palace Theatre, which opened on Main Street in 1926 as a single-screen venue for both movies and vaudeville shows (which is a popular form of live variety entertainment in North America from the 1880’s to the 1930’s that featured ten to fifteen unrelated acts on a single bill, ranging from comedians and acrobats to musicians, magicians, and trained animals). Bought by Reg Clark in 1961, the historic venue was later renovated into a four-screen theatre while maintaining its original 1920’s vintage charm, and to this day it retains many of its original Neo-Classical architectural features, including cast plaster chandeliers, wall sconces, and a 1926 Robert Morton pipe organ (which is one of the only remaining theatre organs in the US).The inside of The Palace Theatre in Lake Placid. The auditorium’s ceiling originally featured painted angels watching over its patrons but they were covered over in the 1930’s with acoustic material to accommodate the transition to ‘talkies’ (which were early motion pictures that incorporated synchronized recorded dialogue, music, and sound effects).Roni in front of Adirondack Decorative Arts & Crafts, which is three-story shop featuring Adirondack-themed items, including gifts, décor, furniture and handmade goods.Roni in front of the Post Office in Lake Placid, which was designed and built in 1935–1936 and is one of a number of post offices in New York State designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department under Louis A. Simon. The building is in the Colonial Revival style and is a one-story, five-bay, steel-framed building on a raised foundation with a cast-stone watertable and clad in orange/buff-colored brick. The interior features a group of murals executed in 1937 by Henry Billings. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.Roni and the Adirondack Community Church in Lake Placid, which is made of stone and was built on the shores of Mirror Lake in 1927. The facility expanded in 1958 and underwent modern renovations in the 21st century to improve accessibility; the congregation operates as a United Methodist church while maintaining a community-focused spirit.Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, which is considered the area’s pioneer craft brewery and spans three floors overlooking Mirror Lake.An advertisement for Ubu Ale, which is a famous flagship craft beer brewed by the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery that is highly recognizable throughout the Adirondack region. It is an English-style ale (though often noted for having distinct, hardy characteristics) and is a deep garnet red to dark brown in color and features rich flavors of dark fruit and roasted malt, hints of toasty chocolate, and a slightly bitter finish; it has an ABV of 7.0%. and a Bitterness (IBU) of 33 (which ranges from 0 to 120+).The Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department, which was established in 1905 and serves the community of Lake Placid and the surrounding Town of North Elba. Roni at the A&W Restaurant in Wilmington, New York (just outside of Lake Placid), which has served the Adirondacks since 1965. This seasonal roadside stand serves traditional A&W favorites like Papa Burgers, Coney Dogs, cheese curds, and root beer made fresh daily in frosty mugs. This was the second time we stayed in the same Air BnB and I had no idea it was there until two days into our second trip. A picture of the original A&W Restaurant in Wilmington when it was constructed in 1965. Roni posing outside of Lake Placid’s American Legion Post 326, which dates back to 1919. The current headquarters is located at 2710 Main Street and was a former rooming house.Roni outside of the Lake Placid Legion Post 326.Roni at the bar at the American Legion in Lake Placid.Wiseguy’s Bar in Lake Placid, which is described as casual dining joint that offers ‘classic pub grub,’ a variety of adult drinks, and bar games like pool & dart boards.Roni standing in front of the Lake Placid Public Library, which overlooks Mirror Lake and features over 27,000 items, free WiFi, and public computers; it also hosts a children’s room, a local history archive, and the Guy Brewster Hughes Art Gallery.Roni standing in front of some historic lake pictures (and Mirror Lake) at the Lake Placid Public Library. Roni at a miniature desk at the Lake Placid Library. Roni at a miniature Adirondack chair at the Lake Placid Library. Roni in front of the Lake Placid Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, which opened in November 1982 following the Winter Olympics and specializes in sports like bobsled, skeleton, luge, and biathlon. The campus features a 96-bed athletic facility and is currently home to one of three US Olympic Training Centers, which caters to a variety of different sports including speed skating, boxing, canoeing, kayaking, judo, rowing, synchronized swimming, team handball, water polo, and wrestling.Roni outside of the Lake Placid Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.Roni at the top of Whiteface Mountain, which transforms into a premier Adirondack summer destination during the summer months and offers a variety of high-alpine activities, from scenic drives and gondola rides to guided nature hikes and disc golf.Whiteface in the summer months. Picture courtesy of Lincoln Riddle.Roni in front of The Lake Placid Toboggan Chute, located on Parkside Drive on Mirror Lake and adjacent to the Post Office. It has been in operation since the 1960’s and is currently being run by The North Elba Park District. Recently rebuilt from the ground up, our current structure replaced a 30′ high converted ski jump trestle.Roni in downtown Saranac Lake, a small mountain village with a deeply unique history. Long before it became a popular year-round destination for outdoor recreation, it was recognized worldwide as a pioneer center for public health, scientific research, and fresh-air medical treatment.Roni at Bitters & Bones, a popular craft microbrewery and rustic kitchen located in downtown Saranac Lake, just a short drive from Lake Placid (we went on the way home from The Wild Center). Known for its unpretentious, community-driven atmosphere, the venue blends the charm of a local hometown tavern with an elevated culinary and brewing experience. We really enjoyed our food and out waitress was very nice.Roni sitting on the menu at Bitters & Bones.Romano’s Saranac Lanes & Family Fun Center, located at 11 Bloomingdale Avenue in Saranac Lake. It was known as Mar-Mac Bowling Center from 1955 to 1976 and in 2006 retired NYC correction officer Jeffrey Romano and his wife Cathy bought and renovated the building and renamed it Romano’s Saranac Lanes.Roni outside of The Wild Center.An aerial shot of The Wild Center in Saranac Lake taken from their website.A Google Maps view of The Wild Center taken from their website.Roni standing next to a cloud and fog simulation machine located at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, New York. It is meant to be an interactive exhibit, and visitors are encouraged to touch, swirl, and feel the dense vapor to learn how clouds and fog form. The large basin uses ultrasonic mist makers or cooled water vapor to pool thick, low-lying fog and the curved protrusions inside the bowl are submerged elements designed to control the flow and generation of the mist.Roni with an interactive fruit and vegetable exhibit at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY.Roni in front of a painting at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake titled ‘Keep an eye on the (green) horizon.’ It was painted by Akwesasne Mohawk artist David Kanietakeron Fadden and features Lillyana Thompson-Garrow, a young Akwesasne Mohawk environmental advocate, standing with her arms wide open toward the sky under a flying bird. The mural serves as a central centerpiece for the centers ‘Climate Solutions’ exhibition.Roni standing next to a vintage Western Electric Sculptura telephone, often referred to as a ‘donut phone’ due to its distinctive circular shape. Manufactured in the 1960’s/1970’s, this particular model features a push-button keypad and is considered a space-age or mod classic, reflecting the aesthetic of that era.Roni in front of a display that is a part of the award-winning ‘Climate Solutions’ exhibition located inside The Wild Center. The interactive grid consists of rotating wooden tiles featuring inspiring quotes from climate leaders, scientists, and indigenous activists, beautifully paired with custom illustrations by local artists and focuses on humanity’s deep interconnection with the natural world and how grassroots efforts can heal the planet. The colorful paintings interwoven between the text celebrate biodiversity, local agriculture, community activism, and traditional ecological knowledge.Roni in front of a bird display at The Wild Center that features hundreds of colorful origami shapes hung like flying butterflies and birds across a prominent green backdrop.Roni in front of an ADK Map Moss Wall located at The Wild Center, which is a ‘collage’ of the outline of Adirondack Park (often referred to as the Blue Line) and made out of real, sustainably harvested moss specimens and other natural materials.Roni in front of a display at The Wild Center that highlights how unique flora adapts to acidic, nutrient-poor wetland environments. The interpretive text details a special adaptation called ‘layering,’ where the lower, former branches of an old tree touch the surrounding peat, take root, and eventually grow into entirely new, independent trees.Roni in front of an indoor bog habitat exhibit at The Wild Center, which replicates a classic northern wetland ecosystem that largely consists of living sphagnum moss, which acts as a dense sponge holding moisture and maintaining the acidic environment needed for flora. Another picture of Roni in front of an indoor bog habitat exhibit at The Wild Center; a bog is a soft, spongy wetland ecosystem that is characterized by acidic, nutrient-poor water as well as the accumulation of decaying plant matter, primarily sphagnum moss and peat.Roni in front of a grassy exhibit at The Wild Cener.Roni with some Painted Turtles, a common domestic species that are also often found on the trails of The Wild Center and as well as Greenleaf Pond.A painted turtle, which is the most widespread native turtle in North America and is known for its strikingly bright markings. It lives in slow-moving waters from southern Canada to northern Mexico and features a smooth, relatively flat upper shell that is dark green or black, and its edges boast distinct red and yellow pattern. Their skin is dark and has vivid yellow and red stripes running down the head, neck, and limbs; they also have characteristic yellow spots right behind their eyes. Adult females reach four to ten inches in length, while males are notably smaller and usually top out at around seven inches.Roni in front of a common garter snake, a frequent resident and native ambassador animal at The Wild Center.Roni with some Wood Ducks at The Wild Center, which are colorful perching ducks that live in wooded swamps and marshes. They are cavity nesters, meaning they lay eggs inside tree holes rather than on the ground, and females are the only North American waterfowl that raise two broods per year. Male Wood Ducks have bold, iridescent feathers, a crested head, and bright red eyes where female ones have gray-brown bodies and white teardrop shapes around their eyes. Adult ducks mainly eat seeds, nuts, and aquatic plants, where ducklings eat insects and spiders.A female (l) and male (r) Wood Duck.It’s hard to tell, but if you look super close there’s an otter in the top of this picture. The Wild Center is home to four North American River Otters, who are named Scarlett, Rohsnore, Tawine, and Gary.Three of the four otters that are currently at The Wild Center (this must have been taken before Gary joined their crew).A North American River Otter.Roni in front of a cross-section model of a carnivorous pitcher plant, which is found within The Naturalist’s Cabinet in the main indoor exhibit hall as part of an exhibit that highlights the Adirondack bog ecosystem. Bogs have highly acidic, nutrient-poor soil, forcing plants like pitchers (Sarracenia purpurea) and sundews to supplement their nutrition by capturing and digesting insects.Roni in front of a cross-section of earth showcasing distinct geological and soil layers, which is featured as part of a subterranean educational display at The Wild Center.Roni in front of an interactive display or model from The Wild Center, which showcases a macro view of two soil-dwelling invertebrates, specifically a segmented arthropod with pairs of legs on each body segment (which is commonly found breaking down organic matter in the forest floor) as well as the larval stage of a large beetle (like the stag or scarab beetle).Roni in front of a taxidermized mount of an Eastern Coyote inside the Dermestid Beetle Exhibit at The Wild Center, which is often referred to as a coywolf due to historical hybridization, which is a term for a genetic hybrid of coyotes, wolves, and domestic dogs. The exhibit is meant to give visitors a unique look at how natural history museums sometimes utilize flesh-eating dermestid beetles to clean tissue off of animal bones, which helps prepare skeletal specimens for study and display.Roni posing with a gray wolf skull replica, which has a pronounced sagittal crest along the top, a long snout, and distinctly large canine and carnassial teeth that were adapted for a carnivorous diet.Roni in front of a topographical terrain model of the Adirondack Mountains featured at The Wild Center; the scale model represents the regional peaks and valleys of the six-million-acres of the Adirondack Parks.Roni in front of an interactive, high-tech globe that displays real-time satellite views from space, including live storms, airplanes, and climate data that is located in the Planet Adirondack wing of The Wild Center. Roni at an area at The Wild Center where you can view the natural wildlife in its natural setting.Roni on Fen Trail, the primary, one mile, fully outdoor loop trail that winds through the forest and leads to a wetland area near Raquette River. A picture of part of the Raquette River Roll, which is a ball run experience on Fen Trail.Roni perched on a large-scale stickwork sculpture titled ‘Hopscotch’ that was created by artist Patrick Dougherty; the immersive piece of artwork was created using locally sourced saplings that were woven together by the creator as well as a team of volunteers.A full view of Hopscotch. picture courtesy of The Wild Center Instagram’s page.Roni posing on the banks of Raquette River, which connects to the larger Tupper Lake.The giant spider at The Wild Center, which is a massive, oversized art sculpture on the outdoor Wild Walk treetop trail that hovers over a giant, human-sized rope spider web that guests can climb and safely stand on.Roni in the interactive treehouse outside at The Wild Center, which covers more than 1,000 feet of bridges and platforms, which allows visitors to walk forty feet above the ground, and experience the Adirondack forest from a completely different perspective.Roni posing with a trail marker at The Wild Center that serves as a visual gateway and helps to guide hundreds of thousands of visitors as they set out to explore the property’s forested paths.Sofus Lotus, who is also known as the ‘Listening Troll.’ One of his favorite things to do is lie down with his ear pressed against the earth and listen to its rhythm, and by being quiet and listening carefully he is able to hear all the crackle, thud, and buzz happening right beneath his feet. Roni posing with Rosa Sunfinger, who is a shy, introverted troll who loves to care for plants and other green creatures. Her face is as gentle as her personality, and she always has a sweet, sunny smile on her cheeks.Roni and Rosa Sunfinger; despite being a tad introverted, Sunfinger is not afraid of speaking up if she has to, however when she does, she chooses her words carefully and finds that the best way of expressing herself is through nature and plants.Roni posing with Basse Buller, who is known as ‘The Painting Troll.’ This troll tends to be all over the place and likes to spread his message in mud paint on every available surface, and is a wild child at heart.Another picture of Basse Buller, who is widely recognized as the artistic ‘wild child’ of the group and is known for using mud paint, stones, leaves, and sticks to paint on every available surface in nature.Ronja Redeye, who is the known as the ‘Speaker Troll’ and is the official leader of the group (despite being the smallest); Ronja’s mission is to save humans and reconnect them with nature, and her eyes turn red when she is passionate and she has a mighty voice.Roni with the Kamma Cam troll; known as the ‘Treasure Troll,’ she has a unique personality, and finds human trash beautiful and wonders why people throw so many things away.Toni with Ibbi Pip, a troll that is known as the ‘Birdhouse Troll’ that hangs colorful birdhouses around the forest to remind humans to care for nature.The birdhouses leading to the troll, Ibbi Pip. She likes to hang colorful birdhouses around the forest to teach people to care for nature.
Installment one of my FOIA request for the case files related to the 1966 attack of Lonnie Trumbull and Lisa Wick, which includes eighty-six photos related to incident 1966-018450.
Another Bundy Blog. 