1921-1945
Text excerpted from: Aber, Ted, and King, Stella, The History of Hamilton County. Lake Pleasant, NY: Great Wilderness Books, 1965 and Aber, Ted, Adirondack Folks. Prospect, NY: Prospect Books, 1980
The fire of 1921 brought the need for emergency quarters on the part of the business firms of the village. It was agreed on January 17, 1922 that the monthly rental of Town Hall would be set at $20, to be proportioned as ten dollars to H.A. Palmatier & Company, six dollars to Nelson Ste. Marie, and four dollars to J.E. Lawrence, the barber.
The move tended to set a precedent for use of the building, but the Town Board held firm. W.H. McDonald was refused rental of the upper part of Town Hall for selling candy and cigars and having a pool table on November 8, 1923. The space was rented to H.S. Monthony from May 15 to November 15, 1924 for $60, however.
SCHOOL
The stucco school was soon found inadequate in a growing community. In 1928, the schools of the town were centralized and the modern brick High School was undertaken. It was first occupied in September, 1930.
By 1935, only two of the district schools were in use at Sabael and Blue Mountain Lake, the first four grades only. Finally, the school at Sabael was abandoned. Some time later, seventh grade students and beyond from the Raquette Lake School began attendance in Indian Lake.
THE VILLAGE
The accomplishments within the first eight years of the 1930’s were vast. Yet depression continued and employment was required. The difficulty was in finding projects.
Even the sidewalk project was concluded. The town was in the laudable situation of needing no further public works improvements, yet in the uneasy position of concern over the economy of the area as the depression continued. On August 1, 1939, an irritated Town Board noted that "families of certain men who have been put out of work due to the closing of the WPA job are in need of assistance and the Welfare Department has refused or neglected to investigate these cases."
The Town of Indian Lake used every opportunity in the 1930’s to bring about improvements, with the help of Federal and State emergency funds, while assisting its own inhabitants with badly needed gainful employment. The depression had taken its first grasp on the mountain community in early 1930 and received official recognition with the ordering of a book of welfare blanks in April 2nd.
The question of a water system, that had been left unanswered for twenty-one years, had revived on August 11, 1930 at request of several taxpayers. The request was furthered in view of the opening of the State highway bringing "more people to our hamlet." A larger supply of water was required for business and domestic use, the people felt. "Fire insurance rates are almost prohibitive," they declared.
A Water Board was appointed. On June 5, 1931, they announced the award of the contract for construction of Indian Lake Water District 2, including a pumping plant, reservoir, and laying of all necessary mains and hydrants.
The water system begot organization for fire control. A special town meeting was held on February 26, 1932 to establish Indian Lake Fire District No. 1.
On November 9, 1940, the townspeople voted, three to two, to purchase the I.O.O.F. Hall for use as a firehouse. The newly formed company was to undergo severe test.
FIRE - 1943
The shrill fire siren brought the Indian Lake firemen from their beds on September 14, 1943 at 1:20 a.m. Mrs. Francis (Helen) Farrell, alone with her nine children in the house which was connected to the Town Hall by a narrow wooden stairway, had awakened to the smell of smoke and saw the reflection from flames that enveloped the rear of the Town Hall. Quickly, she awakened her children one by one, told them to dress quickly but not to get excited. Then she ran barefooted to the barbershop next door and awakened Kenneth Edinger to send in the alarm. The Farrell children, hastily dressed, took their best clothes in their arms, and walked quietly to the Edinger home while Mrs. Farrell started packing bedding.
The first truck arrived seconds after the alarm was sounded. The second truck was brought to the scene immediately, and, due to the shortage of men, the Blue Mountain Lake Hose Company was summoned and answered at once. It was an hour before there was any certainty that the Farrell house could be saved.
In that hour, volunteers, consisting mostly of women and girls, including five school teachers, moved all the furniture from the second story of the Farrell home to safety on a vacant porch across the way.
Town Hall, occupied since 1892, was a total loss, estimated at $7,000. However, most valuable records and documents were saved since they were kept in safes. The doors of the largest safe were badly bulged and a technician was called from Albany to open them.
A freakish incident occurred. Percy Cross, town clerk, wore glasses only for doing close work, leaving them on his desk at the end of the day. About 10 o’clock Tuesday morning, wading through the debris, firemen found Percy’s "specs" still intact, although they were charred beyond use. The outside of the case was burned and the glasses were black but not cracked at all.
No theory was given as top the origin of the fire, although everyone seemed to have his own "probables," from mice up. All agreed, however, on the4 value of a fire company.
On September 14, 1943, the Town Board agreed to lease William McCane’s store as an office for town officers for one year at $480. The year of occupying McCane’s store grew to 37 years.
The Indian Lake School gained a two-room addition in 1935 and a second two-room addition in 1950. In January 1963, complete renovation of the existing school and a large addition at the rear was approved by the Board of Education by vote of three to one.
Construction started in September 1964. A new heating plant was added, together with improved lighting. New rooms were opened to students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Other improvements included a large shop, a modern science room, a home economics room, music room, and mathematics room, together with a new cafeteria and kitchen, and the largest library for any school of its size in the State.
Source: Aber, Ted, and King, Stella, The History of Hamilton County. Lake Pleasant, NY: Great Wilderness Books, 1965 and Aber, Ted, Adirondack Folks. Prospect, NY: Prospect Books, 1980
Photographs courtesy The Indian Lake Town Museum, Indian Lake, NY 12842
Web design by: Jonathon B. Benton
2002 The Indian Lake Central School District, Indian Lake, NY