Caldwell Presbyterian Church, Lake George

Caldwell Presbyterian Church, Lake George 1855-56
(photo 5/7/11)

Caldwell was the original name of the town of Lake George.

Adirondack Churches has a brief discussion regarding the design of this church, based on designs in the Congregational Book of Plans. The design by Austin and Bowen of New Haven CT is based on a New England Meeting House.

There is a wonderful Stoddard photo of this church and St James Episcopal in a field mountains in the background, corn stalks in the foreground, just a few houses nearby.

Rockwell Falls Presbyterian Church, 1882

Rockwell Falls Presbyterian Church, 1882
(photo 4/28/2011)

The core of this church located on Bridge Street in Lake Luzerne just steps away from the bridge that overlooks the confluence of the Hudson and Sacandaga Rivers is done in a High Victorian style.

The congregation dates to 1856, its first pastor Rev. Charles H. Skillman. The  church burned on December 21, 1926 and was rebuilt in 1927 with an addition in 1958.

This photograph taken on the day of highest flow in the Hudson River in living memory.

Adirondack Presbyterian Church

 The Adirondack Presbyterian Church located in Lake Clear. This photo taken August 24, 2010.

As I noted previously the idea for taking picture of houses of worship, and perhaps some other public structures, has been in the back of my mind for some time. Since I first thought of the idea some of the buildings I would have taken pictures of have been destroyed by fire, most notably the a church in Warrensburg in an accidental fire and one in Pottersville set on purpose by a young man with a twisted idea of religion.

The future of any structure is uncertain except it is certain to decay over time. Small towns across the Adirondacks are growing smaller.  Some congregations are dwindling and the cost of repairing old buildings is high. Many old churches that will appear here have found new purposes. Some, like the stately Our Lady of Angels in Whitehall have been lost to the wrecking ball.