Thinking of “New York ”, 1939 was a big year. Not only did I turn ten (10, 2 digits!!), but experienced my first big camping trip in the spring and later in the year the New York World’s Fair in Flushing New York. I was first introduced to the Adirondack Mountains of NY in the late spring of 1939 when Pop, his friend Tommy Taylor took Dick, Tommy’s son Hank and me for a few days camping at an area called “Flowed Lands” in the Adirondack Mountain State Park in upper New York State. These lands were the wetlands associated with the Opalescent River and the headwaters of the Hudson River. Spending the first night in Adirondack Lodge, we set out the next morning for the 3-5 mile trek into Flowed Lands. Remember, at 10 years old, 3 miles was a long way with a full pack, and the trail was just a woods trail with primitive and natural ways to cross the wetland areas, which were many. A recent picture tells the story even today As can be seen, crossing the wetlands was always a bit of a challenge. There are plenty of uplands around and on some the State Park had erected three-sided lean’-to’s large enough to accommodate us all. The floor was dirt covered with pine boughs that smelled great. Out front there was a fire pit with structures to hang pots and kettles. You could reserve specific sites in advance. Nearby were the famous Hanging Spear Falls of the Opalescent, which were tiered falls of some 200’ or so, and the way across the top was a two log bridge with a rope guide. Maybe more now, but that was a challenge we decided to forego (DI-6).
The last thing to come to mind is pristine, but pristine is the word for the Flowed Lands and the fishing for pink bellied brook trout was exquisite. Despite the grumbling on the way in, there and then I fell in love with the Adirondacks. On our return trip, when we got back to the Adirondack Lodge, everyone was abuzz—Adolph Hitler and the German Army had invaded the Sudetenland (roughy the borders between Czechoslovakia, Poland and Germany) and World War II had begun in spite of British Prime Minister Nevil Chamberlain’s efforts to make peace (“Peace in our time”). While this news upset the adults more than somewhat, to us kids, except for the excitement anything to do with war conjured up, it meant very little.
As for the World’s Fair, I actually don’t remember much other than we made a couple of trips to see it. I do remember the theme of Trylon and Perisphere and the General Motors exhibit. The fair covered 1,202 acres of the Flushing meadows (a basic NY ash heap) near Flushing New York. It was one of the largest international fairs ever comprising 33 countries, and a multitude of industrial exhibits. With the countries involved in claiming “bragging” rights, the food offerings were almost limitless in variety and taste. Of course the fair offered many new and neat rides the likes of which none of us had ever seen before. The GM exhibit included comfortable chairs on a moving belt that took us around a futuristic city (futurama) that boggles the mind. It was the most popular exhibit with long waiting lines. For me however, the most fascinating exhibits were displays of the latest in steam locomotion technology, especially the British pavilion (DI-7). Looking back, it is surprising how many of those future ideas have come to pass, and have become part of our fabric. On the other hand, many fabulous innovations never were fully implemented because of newly developing technology. A perfect example was the steam engine. Fancy new innovations in steam locomotion were on exhibit, none more spectacular than the British exhibit showing off the newly produced Coronation Scot class of steam engine (D-7). The cars it pulled were nothing less than plush. But times, and critical circumstances often call for drastic change. By the mid-40’s, the steam engine with coal as its fuel, was being rapidly replaced as more efficient diesel-electric technology rapidly advanced.
One more story of our early Adirondack visits would have to include Elk Lake Lodge and cabins near Blue Ridge, NY. Several years after that first visit, the folks took us on vacation to Elk Lake, and Pop couldn’t talk enough about the lake, Mt. Dix and Nipple Top; that’s right, Nipple Top Mountain. But he especially wanted us to visit and fish Dix Pond, which we did, with Elk Lake as seen from the lodge and Nipple Top Mt. is right in the center with Mt. Dix to the right. Leaving Ma home to relax at the cabin, we took a row boat off the dock you see and proceeded east (right) to a landing obscured by the big bush in the right foreground of the picture. From there was a trail that led to the pond. After maybe a mile, we found Dix pond, but no raft that was supposed to be there. After casting about a few minutes, Dick shouted “there it is”. It was about 1/3 of the way around the pond in some reeds along the shore. The pond must have been less than 5 acres in size and was about round. Thus it was easy to slosh through the shallow aquatic grass to grab the raft and pull it back to the real landing. The raft would safely hold two people (using your imagination), so Dick and I got on and poled our way out into the pond. Using fly rods, we made our first casts, and both landed nice pink-belly trouts. We virtually caught a fish every time we cast. Talk about a fisherman’s dream. We kept only those we would eat that night (DI-8).