Fellow Friends of Camp Santanoni -
As fall turns to winter, we appreciate the opportunity to reflect on another remarkable summer on Newcomb Lake. With the help of our excellent summer staff, the Santanoni team advanced work on capital projects, launched new tours, and were glad for continued engagement with and support from Friends who appreciate the beauty and history of Camp Santanoni. With those long summer days behind us, we’re looking forward to winter fun! Dust off your skis and snowshoes and come enjoy the magic of winter at Santanoni.
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Did you visit Santanoni or take a tour this summer? If so, we’d love your feedback! This information helps Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) continue to improve our efforts at this significant historic site, working with our partners at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the Town of Newcomb. Follow this link to fill out the survey – and thanks!
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2025 Santanoni Winter Weekends |
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Join us for a ski or snowshoe trip during Camp Santanoni’s annual Winter Weekends! On January 18-20, February 15-17, and March 15-16, explore the Great Camp and take short interpretive tours with AARCH volunteers. Buildings will be open to the public from 10-3. The event provides a rare opportunity to go inside buildings and meet guides during the winter months. The nine-mile round trip on gently rolling terrain will take you past the Santanoni Farm and through the Forest Preserve on a wide, old road (no vehicle access).
The Artist’s Studio, a stone building near the Main Lodge on the shores of Newcomb Lake, will be open as a warming hut. Enjoy free coffee, tea, or hot chocolate by the woodstove. Event hosted by Adirondack Architectural Heritage, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the Town of Newcomb, and the Adirondack Interpretive Center.
Curious about volunteering for this event? Volunteers act as friendly hosts, hot beverage servers, tour guides, and ideally enjoy (or tolerate) carrying wood, cozy evenings with other volunteers, and cold walks to the outhouse. Volunteer slots are limited but we’re always happy to include more friendly faces. Contact santanoni@aarch.org with questions! NOTE: Winter conditions can change quickly in the backcountry. Be prepared with extra warm clothing and adequate supplies for your trip. |
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Now Hiring: Santanoni Historic Site Manager |
Adirondack Architectural Heritage seeks a full-time Camp Santanoni Historic Site Manager to join our team as the fifth full-time staff member. The Camp Santanoni Historic Site Manager is a new position created with grant funding to strengthen our management and interpretation of Camp Santanoni. This position will work with NYS DEC on projects within the 32-acre Camp Santanoni Historic Area, reporting to the AARCH Executive Director. The Historic Site Manager will help advance AARCH's goals to grow our outreach and constituency for Camp Santanoni, research and record the site’s history to share with the public, advance capital restoration projects, provide on-site leadership, training, and assistance to summer staff, and develop and coordinate a group of volunteers who can assist with hands-on or interpretive needs. For more information, please see the full position posting at https://aarch.org/position-opening-camp-santanoni-historic-site-manager/
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Our StoryBridge - We Want Your Santanoni Stories! |
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In collaboration with Our Story Bridge, a nonprofit dedicated to helping communities document and share stories, AARCH has launched a website to collect oral histories about Santanoni. We want to hear your stories, whether they are about experiences prior to state ownership, preservation across the historic complexes, or personal anecdotes about visiting the Great Camp over the decades. You can record your story directly on the website or reach out to AARCH with more questions at santanoni@aarch.org.
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In Memoriam: Chuck Vandrei |
AARCH and the Friends of Camp Santanoni were very sad to hear the news that our dear friend, Charles (Chuck) Vandrei, passed away this past July. An archaeologist by training and profession, Chuck served as Agency Preservation Officer and a force for preservation at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for over 30 years, dedicating his career to preserving New York State’s cultural resources above and below ground.
We knew Chuck best through his decades of work and collaboration with AARCH on preservation throughout the Adirondacks in many roles. At Camp Santanoni, Chuck was an important internal and external advocate, as well as thoughtful problem-solver. On Camp Santanoni winter weekends, one would find Chuck sharing preservation stories in front of the Gate Lodge gift shop fireplace. In years prior, one would just as easily find him repairing a roof or investigating a structural condition. Chuck’s legacy is felt throughout the Forest Preserve even as the efforts to continue his work are ongoing. We will miss him tremendously.
Chuck’s family and the New York Archaeological Council are establishing a scholarship in his honor. You can donate to this effort by writing a check to the New York Archaeological Council with Vandrei Scholarship in the note field. Please mail checks to: Ann Morton, 1215 Macedon Center Road, Macedon, NY 14502. |
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Want another winter great camp experience?
Great Camp Sagamore’s Snow Days on January 25 and February 22 include guided ski and snowshoe tours, ice skating (if possible), sledding, bonfires, and hot drinks. Please see Sagamore's website for more information about this year's events. |
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With the help of our great summer staff, Luke Dillon and Aidan Kyle, Santanoni had another excellent season. You may remember Luke and Aidan from a tour, but they also did excellent work on projects across the site, including work on windows at the Main Camp, Farm, and Gate Lodge. The new “The Works” Santanoni Bike Excursions were a huge hit - visitors loved the opportunity to explore the entire historic site in a day. We were also delighted by the response to our first Art and Music Day and visitor enthusiasm about this aspect of Santanoni’s history. We aim to bring both programs back in the future! DEC launched its Mobility Device Pilot Program and seems likely to refine and reintroduce it in the future. AARCH completed emergency roof repairs on the West Cottage and Smokehouse and continues to move forward with planning for the fire protection project at the Main Camp, with the goal of beginning construction next year. Santanoni was busy through late summer and fall as the beautiful weather and fall leaves continued to attract visitors. We look forward to seeing visitors again soon for winter fun!
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Private donations support our interpretation, restoration, and emergency repairs at Camp Santanoni. This season of giving, please consider a contribution to help fund AARCH’s work at Santanoni. Donations can be made securely online at https://aarch.org/support/friends-of-camp-santanoni/.
We also invite you to check out our website, follow us on Facebook or Instagram, or email us at santanoni@aarch.org. Ask questions, offer your suggestions, or share a favorite story about time you’ve spent at Santanoni.
Happy Adventuring!
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Erin Tobin, Executive Director Adirondack Architectural Heritage |
| Jennifer Betsworth Santanoni Interpretive Coordinator |
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The Friends of Camp Santanoni, a project of Adirondack Architectural Heritage with support from the Town of Newcomb and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, aims to provide long-term financial and volunteer support for the Camp.
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Founded in 1990, in part to save Santanoni, Adirondack Architectural Heritage, the nonprofit historic preservation organization for New York's Adirondack region, promotes better public understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the Adirondacks' unique and diverse architectural heritage. |
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