Town Information
& History
Gateway to the Adirondack High Peaks
Nicknamed: Pleasant Valley
Settled: 1792
Established:
February 12, 1798
Latitude:
44.216N
Longitude:
-73.591W
Area: 82 square miles
Major
industry:
government, law, surveying, light industry, and tourism.
County
Seat
Situated in the heart of the six million acre Adirondack Park,
the largest forest preserve in the Continental United States. Nine miles
from the magnificent waters of Lake Champlain,
126 miles of clear fresh water and sandy beaches.
On the Boquet
River, at the foot of Hurricane Mountain. Named after
Elizabeth Gilliland, wife and also a daughter of landholder William Gilliland.
For many of the early years, cutting and marketing lumber was
the chief industry of the inhabitants, even exceeding agriculture in
employment. Maple sugar was an important early industry. When poplar trees
replaced the first growth, as many as 20,000 cords of poplar were shipped in
one year to paper mills from Elizabethtown.
Tourism replaced lumber as the chief industry in the late 1800s.
Following
in the footsteps of their forefathers, townspeople have made sure that this
mountain hamlet has all you would look for in a vacation spot. There is
original Adirondack charm as well as
significant historic attractions and cultural opportunities. As the county seat
and government center, Elizabethtown
hosts continuous activity. Recreational facilities abound, while additional
attractions are just a few miles away.
Head
into our history by visiting the Adirondack
Center Museum,
open from May 15 until October 15 and by appointment throughout the winter
months. Operated by the Essex County Historical Society, it features three
floors of excellent exhibits focusing on Adirondack history, social and
military background of the area as well as several temporary exhibits each
season.
Historians
and genealogists from across the country use the Brewster Library year round
for research and study of county history.
The Colonial Garden provides visitors with a
beautiful display of color from May to October. The Essex County
Adirondack Garden
Club maintains formal beds of annuals and perennials.
Also
included on the four-acre grounds of the museum is a nature trail. Using a
pamphlet prepared by the local Audubon society, visitors can stroll by the
river watch for wildflowers and birds and enjoy a bit of natural history.
Pauline
Murdock’s Bird Sanctuary is located on Wadhams Road,
heading north out of town.
The
Cobble Hill Golf Course, built in 1896 has 9 challenging holes interspersed
with tall pines and mountain views. Open from May through September. The
golf course also has nesting Peregrine and Merlin falcons.
Boquet River is
famous for its rainbow, speckled and brown trout. Stocked by county and state DEC
provides ample parking at fishing access sites.
On Lincoln pond we have a
state campsite and picnic area, with swimming, fishing and boating. Open middle
of May through Labor Day.
The
outdoor recreation available for all seasons are public skating rink, hunting,
hiking, mountain climbing, cross country skiing, canoeing, cycling, tennis,
snow shoeing, horseback riding.
Split
Rock Falls, South of the hamlet along Route 9, the Boquet River drops significantly in a beautiful
series of waterfalls and deep pools. This location was the site of the Bishop
Iron Forge, c. 1825 that by the unique "tromp" method used falling
water to provide a constant flow of air to feed the smelting fires.
The
Hand-Hale Historic District was designated in 1979; the District is located on
both sides of River Street
in the hamlet and features the stately homes and office of two prominent
families in the annals of state and national law. The gracious white frame Hale
House that dates from 1818 is located on the North side of the Branch and was
the residence of Judge Robert S. Hale. On the South side, Judge Augustus C.
Hand built the brick Greek revival structure, in 1849. He was the grandfather
of Learned and Augustus N. Hand, the eminent justices of the US Circuit
Court of Appeals. Many young students "read Law" in the small offices
and went on to prominent careers.
The
Elizabethtown
Library Association, maintained by the town since 1884, is affiliated with the
Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System. Visitors are invited to use its
facilities and to enjoy their varying summer programs.
We
have available the cultural offerings of the Maplewood Festival of Baroque
Music Recitals and the acclaimed Meadowmount School
of Music located in nearby Lewis, which welcomes visitors to their weekly
concerts. Also the Gallery at The Old Mill, former
studio and school of Wayman Adams, offers fine
art in an historic Adirondack setting. We also
have many local artists in the area who welcome visitors to their private
galleries.
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