History
The first settler arrived in 1819. The first hotel was constructed in
1840. In 1876 Dr. Edward Trudeau arrived to treat tuberculosis patients,
and in 1884 he founded a sanitarioum for treatment of this disease. Up
until about 1950, Saranac Lake attracted many visitors who hoped that the
clear air of this isolated location would help cure or alleviate their
disease. Following the discovery of antibiotic treatment for this disease,
the town became a more conventional tourist destination.
The village was incorporated in 1892.
Geography
Saranac Lake is located at 44°19'34" North, 74°7'51" West (44.325988,
-74.130944)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area
of 7.8 km˛ (3.0 mi˛). 7.2 km˛ (2.8 mi˛) of it is land and 0.6 km˛ (0.2 mi˛)
of it is water. The total area is 7.33% water.
The village is located at the junction of the Towns of North Elba and
St.Armand in Essex County, and Harrietstown in Franklin County.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 5,041 people, 2,369 households, and
1,182 families residing in the village. The population density is 700.1/km˛
(1,812.0/mi˛). There are 2,854 housing units at an average density of
396.4/km˛ (1,025.9/mi˛). The racial makeup of the village is 96.87% White,
0.75% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.00% Pacific
Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. 1.07%
of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,369 households out of which 25.4% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 35.2% are married couples living together, 10.3%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.1% are non-families.
40.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.7% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size
is 2.09 and the average family size is 2.88.
In the village the population is spread out with 22.2% under the age of
18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and
15.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For
every 100 females there are 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and
over, there are 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village is $29,754, and the
median income for a family is $42,153. Males have a median income of
$32,188 versus $24,759 for females. The per capita income for the village
is $17,590. 13.8% of the population and 8.5% of families are below the
poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 11.5% are under
the age of 18 and 17.6% are 65 or older.
Saranac Lake facts
Many tourists come to the village, which is unusually attractive owing to
its preservation of older architecture, the absence of large chain stores,
and the limited number of fast food outlets. Much of the village fronts on
Lake Flower. Curiously, neither Upper, Middle, nor Lower Saranac Lakes are
adjacent to the village, although all three are nearby.
Summer visitors enjoy canoeing and other forms of boating, hiking in the
forest, climbing in the nearby mountains, and visiting the local shops and
restaurants. Ice cream stands flourish, both in the village and nearby.
During the long, cold, and snowy winters, visitors to Saranac Lake
participate in cross-country skiing and in snowmobiling. There is also a
Winter Carnival, which has been held annually for over 100 years.
A non-profit Village Improvement Society, dating from 1910, currently owns
and maintains eight parks. The extensive parkland along the lakefront, now
owned by the village, is the result of the Society's earlier efforts.
Artists residences
The composer Bela Bartok spent summers in Saranac Lake and wrote some of
his best-known works there. The writer Robert Louis Stevenson had a
cottage in Saranac Lake, which still stands along with a museum dedicated
to him. The cartoonist Garry Trudeau, who draws the Doonesbury comic
strip, was raised in Saranac Lake.
Transportation
The Adirondack Regional Airport {SLK) is northwest of the village. The
Adirondack Scenic Railroad passes the village.
