Skip to main content
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
  • See & Do
    • See & Do
    • See all
      • See all
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
      • Accessibility
      • Arts
      • Attractions
      • Downtown
      • Health & Wellness
      • History
      • Live Music
      • Parks
      • Shopping
      • Stories
      • Weddings
  • Outdoors
    • Outdoors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Hiking
        • See all
        • Nature Walks
      • ADK Guides & Tours
      • Birding
      • Boating
      • Camping
      • Cross-Country Skiing
      • Cycling
      • Downhill Skiing
      • Fishing
      • Golfing
      • Ice Fishing
      • Mountain Biking
      • Paddling
      • Snowmobiling
      • Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
    • Eat & Drink
    • See all
    • Cafés & Coffee Shops
    • Craft Beer & Cocktails
    • Restaurants
  • Events
    • Events
    • See all
    • Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
    • ArtWorks ArtMarkets
    • Can-Am Rugby Tournament
    • Celebrate Paddling ADK
    • First Night Saranac Lake
    • Plein Air Festival
    • Winter Carnival
    • 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
    • Stay
    • See all
    • Cabins & Cottages
    • Camping
    • Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
    • Resorts, Hotels, Motels
    • Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
    • First Time Visitors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Accessibility
      • Downtown
      • Getting Here
      • Greater Region
      • Stories
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
  • Local
    • Local title-header
      • Live Here
        • See all
        • Meet the Locals
        • Real Estate
        • Town of Harrietstown
        • Town of North Elba
        • Town of St. Armand
        • Village of Saranac Lake
      • Do Business Here
        • See all
        • Chamber Job Board
        • Essex County IDA
        • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
        • Professional Services
        • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
      • Community Initiatives
        • See all
        • Arts & Culture Master Plan
        • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
        • Saranac Lake Brand
        • Village Community Development Department
What can we help you find?
  • See & Do
      1. See & Do
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
        3. Accessibility
        4. Arts
        5. Attractions
        6. Downtown
        7. Health & Wellness
        8. History
        9. Live Music
        10. Parks
        11. Shopping
        12. Stories
        13. Weddings
  • Outdoors
      1. Outdoors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Hiking
          • See all
          • Nature Walks
        3. ADK Guides & Tours
        4. Birding
        5. Boating
        6. Camping
        7. Cross-Country Skiing
        8. Cycling
        9. Downhill Skiing
        10. Fishing
        11. Golfing
        12. Ice Fishing
        13. Mountain Biking
        14. Paddling
        15. Snowmobiling
        16. Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
      1. Eat & Drink
      2. See all
      3. Cafés & Coffee Shops
      4. Craft Beer & Cocktails
      5. Restaurants
  • Events
      1. Events
      2. See all
      3. Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
      4. ArtWorks ArtMarkets
      5. Can-Am Rugby Tournament
      6. Celebrate Paddling ADK
      7. First Night Saranac Lake
      8. Plein Air Festival
      9. Winter Carnival
      10. 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
      1. Stay
      2. See all
      3. Cabins & Cottages
      4. Camping
      5. Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
      6. Resorts, Hotels, Motels
      7. Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
      1. First Time Visitors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Accessibility
        3. Downtown
        4. Getting Here
        5. Greater Region
        6. Stories
        7. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
  • Local
      1. Local
        1. Live Here
          • See all
          • Meet the Locals
          • Real Estate
          • Town of Harrietstown
          • Town of North Elba
          • Town of St. Armand
          • Village of Saranac Lake
        2. Do Business Here
          • See all
          • Chamber Job Board
          • Essex County IDA
          • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
          • Professional Services
          • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
        3. Community Initiatives
          • See all
          • Arts & Culture Master Plan
          • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
          • Saranac Lake Brand
          • Village Community Development Department

Saranac Lake's Walk of Fame

Watch Video
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
ADK Blogger
March 13, 2018

I’m not a history buff, but one thing that’s always fascinated me is the Adirondacks’ place in the world. If you ask the right people, big names get thrown around. Bill Clinton has visited; Melville Dewey, creator of the Dewey decimal system, lived in Lake Placid; and poet Sylvia Plath broke her leg on Mount Pisgah in Saranac Lake while visiting in 1952. The accident reportedly inspired a scene in her only novel, The Bell Jar, wherein Esther Greenwood contemplates suicide on a mountaintop.

Saranac Lake has embraced its own claims to fame with a walk of fame. The bronze-colored signs are scattered throughout downtown. I recently strolled through town to see how many of the plaques I could find. Here are a few of my favorites.

Bill Demong

Born: March 29, 1980 in Saranac Lake, New York

Married: Skeleton racer Katie Koczynski, on July 11, 2010

Plaque location: 39 Main Street

Vermontville native Bill Demong attended Saranac Lake High School, then went on to become the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in a Nordic event — the 10 km individual large hill — in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Bill learned ski jumping through the New York Ski Educational Foundation and has been competing on the world cup level since since 1997, Demong won his first World Cup gold in 2002 in the 10 km individual large hill, which he repeated in 2009. His athletic career was nearly ended by a swimming accident in 2002 that resulted in a fractured skull.

Béla Bartók

Born: March 25, 1881, Nagyszentmiklos, Transylvania

Died: September 26, 1945, in West Side Hospital, New York City

Married: Márta Ziegler; Edith "Ditta" Pásztory

Children: Béla III; Péter

Plaque location: 43 Main Street

Mr. Bartok gets my vote for the coolest name on this list. Born in the small town of Nagyszentmiklós, Romania, Bela’s mother said he could play 40 pieces on the piano by the time he was 4. It’s no wonder he went on to become one of the best composers of the 20th century. So what’s the tie in? The composer and pianist wrote some of his last compositions while staying in Saranac Lake. He died in a hospital in New York City from complications of leukemia when he was 64. His funeral was attended by 10 people including his wife, Ditta, and their son, Péter.

Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau

Born: October 5, 1848, in New York City

Died: November 15, 1915, in Saranac Lake, New York

Plaque location: 62 Main Street

Shortly after his older brother, Edward, died of tuberculosis, Edward Trudeau enrolled in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. The young doctor was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1873 and moved to Saranac Lake seeking a cure in the fresh mountain air. He went on to organize the Saranac Laboratory for the Study of Tuberculosis in 1894. Later renamed the Trudeau Institute, it was the first laboratory in the United States for the study of tuberculosis. He was quite involved in the community, and even founded and became the first mayor of the Village of Saranac Lake. Trudeau died from tuberculosis about 40 years after contracting the disease.

 

Herb Clark

Born: July 10, 1870

Died: March 3, 1945 at the Saranac Lake General Hospital. He is buried at St. Bernard's Cemetery in the Clark family plot.

Married: Mary Dowdell in 1903

Children: Irene Clark Dimick, Gertrude Clark Montville, Herbert J. Clark, George Clark, James Clark, and Francis Clark.

Plaque location: 87 Main Street

As a lover of the mountains I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Herb Clark, a man who came to Saranac Lake in his early 20s and later climbed the 46 peaks then believed to be higher than 4,000 feet. As such, he’s the first documented 46er. It’s important to note that back then, in the early 1900s, only 12 of those mountains had trails to the summits. Clark possessed a legendary sense of humor that’s necessary for any serious hiker here, something that no doubt led to him coining the phrase “cripplebrush” for the stunted balsam fir forests, which are the bane of any high-elevation traveler.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Born: November 13, 1850

Died: November 3, 1894

Married: Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne

Plaque location: 28 Broadway

Was there anything Robert Louis Stevenson couldn’t do? A novelist, poet, essayist, musician, and travel writer, he is perhaps best known for writing Treasure Island and  Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson wasn’t destined for creative pursuits, though. His family were lighthouse engineers, but his affinity for writing was encouraged by his father, a man who was discouraged from writing by his own father. Stevenson spent the winter of 1887 and 1888 at the Baker Cottage, which overlooks the Saranac River near Moody Pond in Saranac Lake. It was an intensely cold winter that produced some of his best essays, including Pulvis et Umbra and The Lantern Bearers. He also began The Master of Ballantrae during that time.

Albert Einstein

Born: March 14, 1879

Died: April 18, 1955

Married: Mileva Marić (divorced); Elsa Löwenthal

Children: Lieserl, Hans Albert Einstein (with Mileva Marić)

Plaque location: 65 Broadway

The theory of relativity and E=mc2 — maybe you’ve heard of them? The 1922 Nobel Prize winner was a frequent summer visitor to Lower Saranac Lake, where he rented cabin six. According to records, the brilliant physicist was also an expert sailboat captain, although neither he nor his sister knew how to swim. Counterintuitive to that, Einstein's love of simplicity took precedence, and he reportedly never had a map, compass, or life preservers on board.


While you're exploring downtown, take a stroll through one of our art galleries and enjoy some food.

Related Stories

Snowshoe Your Way to Winter Fun
Lovely Lodging
Decidedly Artful
Sweet Indulgences - Saranac Lake's Coffee Hotspots
Five Ideas for Winter Family Fun
Three Fantastic Fall Hikes in Saranac Lake
A Fall Vacation with Hot Sara
Lost Among the Rows
A Trip Around the Adirondack Carousel
Lake Kushaqua, A Beautiful Place to Rest
It's All Good at the Saranac Lake Skateboard Park
Finding Fun and Snowfleas at the VIC
The Historic Saranac Experience
More than the center of town
Summer Scoop: Five ADK Ice Cream Destinations
Two Ways of Exploring the Natural World at the VIC
The VIC: it's luxury hiking!
Walking the Walk: 20 years of ArtWalks in Saranac Lake
Get down! The best low-elevation hikes in Saranac Lake
The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration!
Adirondack Fish Hatchery Experience
Three of Saranac Lake's Best Paddling Routes
'Round the Mountain Canoe Race - An Event For All Paddlers
Family Paddling Day: Planned for You
Five decidedly different things in downtown Saranac Lake
So Much Snow! And Some Great March Skiing!
Saranac Lake's Walk of Fame
Family Ski at Dewey
Canoodlers and Lawn Chair Ladies
Woods and Waters Trail, a great ski!
New Year, New Finds
From Your Home To Our Home
A Holiday Ski!
First Skis of the Season!
Downtown Holiday Shopping Guide
Calling All Rock Hounds
The Great Adirondack Corn Maze
When the twenties roared
4 Go-To Paddling Destinations for Fall Foliage
Six Nations, First People
Family fun that's free
Sprung!
Rebirth of the Hotel Saranac
To get the trout, get the gear
Three hikes to include everyone
Vroom! Daffest Derby creator shares memories
Get out and art!
Dewey Mountain - Just Wild Enough
2016 Most Popular Blogs
We can dash through the snow
Make Holiday Memories at Moody Farm
Dia de Muertos at Pine Ridge
Don't be afraid of the kayak
Ampersand: A Family Tradition Realized
Village of Boulders
So many hikes, so little time
Tri to stay dry
Puppy's first mountain climb
Coolest Adirondack Chopped Challenge!
Planting seeds
Don't miss the summer's coolest events
History Is Cool: The Lab Museum
Hotel Saranac: Then and Now
Wonderful Weddings in Cool Places
Anti-vaxxers lead to Saranac Lake reopening tuberculosis facilities
Five Fun (and obscure) Facts about Saranac Lake!
Cross-Country Skiing on the Bloomingdale Bog Trail
Yeah, we're cool - no matter what we're wearing!
Shops with personality plus
Special Dining Options - Gluten Free & Vegan
Gray Jays!
Fun with Ice: Saranac Lake Creativity
2015 Most Popular Blogs
Trotting for Turkeys
Select seven: Family hikes under four hours
Shopping without the stress
Tubing: the sport to please the masses
Timeless Tubing at Mount Pisgah
Brighton: Dusk 'til Dawn
Unleash Your Inner Picasso
A Cool Adirondack Adventure
Enjoying Late Summer Wildflowers!
Dog Days of Summer aka Beach Time!
Martha Reben: Staring down the Great White Plague
Lake Clear: Our Secret Paradise
How to have fun at the Art Opening
Stevenson Cottage - small outside, a world inside
Paddling in the Adirondacks for the First Time!
Hiking with the Crew up Baker Mountain
Riding the Rails, Adirondack style!
Keeping It Local
July is when things heat up!
Finding Lots of Birds Just by Taking a Simple Walk
Great Birding and Loads of Warblers in Madawaska!
Free Water Park Ride In Our Backyard
A Spring Hike Up Baker Mountain
Learning to Love Every Season
In Defense of Mud Season
Skiing in April and on Easter - No Foolin'!
Winter Carnival announces Summer Ice Palace
The Joy of Spring Skiing
Newbie Skier Tackles Titus
Memorable Firsts: Carnival & Cross-Country Skis
Skiing the Fish Pond Trail
February Fun and Games in Saranac Lake
Wedding planning with the pros
Two sides of the Trifecta
Adirondack Traditions, then and now
An Evening Sleigh Ride in the Adirondacks
Skiing - and Falling - in a Winter Wonderland
A night on the town in Saranac Lake
Where to find hot beverages
The First Ski of the Season!
Healthy Holidays, Adirondack Style
A picture's worth a thousand words - epic winter events
Eat 'n Meet: a community-minded neighborhood joint
Birding Along Lake Colby
Saranac Lake Remembers the Great War
A Guide to the Great Indoors
Adirondack Firetower Challenge: Climbing the Fire Tower Peaks near and around Saranac Lake
New fun at Titus Mountain Ski Area
The Blind Owl Band: A true Adirondack band
Norman Bethune, the hero, the artist
An Apt Pair: Ampersand Mountain & Follensby Clear Pond
The biggest Cure Tour of them all
History Comes Alive in Saranac Lake
Learning to Identify Fall Leaves
The Horse Knows The Way
Mount Pisgah getting ready for winter ski season
Paddling and Snorkeling Little Green Pond
A Red Phalarope at Little Clear Pond!
Searching for Fall Warblers and Other Songbirds
Forks, Fests, and Flatwater: 3 Featured Fall events
Paddling Little Clear Pond
3 Short Paddles found in the St. Regis Canoe Area
Paddling Lake Clear Outlet
Hiking and Exploring Azure Mountain
See artists at work in the mountains
An Evening Paddle on Moose Pond
A Great Place to Break Down
A cure cottage tour, a step back in time
The Art Walk is a path to art, music, and fun!
Mid-summer events in Saranac Lake
Frankenstein Lives! In the old laboratory in the village
Birding at the Spring Pond Bog
“One Particular Island” all to ourselves
Roughing it in style: a tour of White Pine Great Camp
The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration
Spring Paddling on Lake Colby
One Magic Canoe: The Seven Carries Canoe Route
Roadside Gems, Paddling the Saranac Lake Region
5 Hidden Gems for Hiking, Paddling & Trail Running
Art Event or Fun Party? BluSeed blurs the line
Daffest is just around the corner
Our lakes were born for boating
Top 10 Spots for Paddling in Adirondacks
Winter Foodie Scene
Spoken Word: Poetry on Stage
Breakfast & History
Night Skiing at Mt. Pisgah
Mid-Winter Events 2014
Top Five Winter Break Activities
Best Ice Fishing Holes
Building the Ice Palace
Tubing Adventures at Mt. Pisgah
Snowshoe Shopping
Lost and Found
The Art of Gifts
Art & Dining
Short & scenic hikes
Less than two weeks to Sparkle Village Craft Fair!
Saranac Lake Art Attraction Nov 22 - Dec 28, 2013
Muskrats!
Goodman Mountain
Hiking St. Regis Mountain
Fall at the VIC
A Fall Paddle on Jones Pond
Going to Church
Painted Landscapes, Clay Demonstrations, and Chickens...all a part of the Artist at Work Studio Tour
Where the leaves are on fire with color
Artist at Work Studio Tour this week
The Colors of Late Summer
Fun family events for fall foliage season
Fifth Annual Hobofest: Music, Food and Fun on the Tracks
Stomping out the Saranac 6 – Week 2 – St. Regis Mountain
Hobofest tops the calendar this weekend
FlavorFest at The Wild Center
Hobofest Returns to Saranac Lake
Entertaining events will keep you hopping this weekend
Historic Saranac Lake "History Matters" series continues with "Clara's Rib"
Historic Saranac Lake "History Matters" series continues with "The Art of Guideboat Building"
What can we help you find?
Sign up to receive more information.
Enter Email
Do•Stay•Eat•Shop•Events
Work Here•Contact Us•DEI•Media Kit•Privacy Policy
39 Main Street, Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Powered by the Regional Office of
Sustainable Tourism
THERE’S MORE TO EXPLORE
We’ve got the best ideas for things to do on your next Adirondack adventure, and we will deliver them right to your inbox! THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING! Your next adventure awaits you in your inbox! Tell us more about what interests you, and we can help you plan your next trip.
MANAGE YOUR PREFERENCES