John Apperson’s Lake George

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In 1900, John Apperson, a young man from Virginia, began working for General Electric in Schenectady, New York. An avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, Apperson soon found others interested in Adirondack sports such as ice-fishing and skate-sailing, and they started taking camping trips into the north country. He discovered Lake George one summer while attending a boat race, and thus began his lifelong love affair with the magnificent scenery. Apperson devoted his energy and resources to saving the land from various threats, including commercial development, logging, illegal squatters, and erosion. Apperson launched a two-pronged strategy, promoting Lake George for its recreational potential while recruiting people to help repair the shores of islands. He earned the respect of leading politicians, philanthropists, and journalists, including George Foster Peabody, New York governor Al Smith, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. His actions brought him into open conflict with powerful adversaries, too.