Welcome to the Historical Association’s

God’s Country Exhibit


We dedicate this exhibit, not just to those who have answered the call to minister to the people of God’s Country — but also to those who labored to build our churches, stoked the woodstoves, shoveled the walkways, sang in the choirs, sewed Balsam pillows, taught in Sunday schools, cared for the sick, fed the poor, and offered their energy and financial support all these years to the churches in our midst.

Church Histories Timeline

1868

Dr. Samuel Niccolls makes his first visit to the Benjamin Stickney Camp on First Lake. Informal church services are conducted by Dr. Niccolls on the Point each Sunday for guests and their guides. Dr. Niccolls was appointed pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in St. Louis in 1860  - and served his parish for fifty years. 

1875

Reverend James A. Kelley said the first Catholic mass at Camp Pine Knot, Raquette Lake at the invitation of William West Durant.

1880

September 12th - Bishop Doane of Albany consecrated The Church of the Good Shepherd on St. Hubert's Island in Raquette Lake. The Reverend Montgomery H. Throop was installed as priest-in-charge. The rectory, built in 1882, was donated by William West Durant to the people of Raquette Lake as was the church.

1882

The Church of the Good Shepherd on St. Hubert's Island Raquette Lake rectory built by Durant. It burned in ca. 1912, and the present house was rebuilt in ca. 1914.

1885

The Church of the Transfiguration in Blue Mountain, built by William West Durant, was consecrated.

1890

On June 28, 1890, St. William's Church, Long Point Raquette Lake was incorporated by Bishop Edgar P. Wadhams of Ogdensburg. The land and the church were donated by William West Durant.

1897

The First Presbyterian Church of Old Forge dedicated November 30th. Reverend H. H. Wallace appointed the first pastor.

1897

St. Bartholomew's Church is built. Levi Deis the architect. Father John Fitzgerald is the new pastor replacing Father Byrne who came in 1895.

1899

Holy Rosary Catholic Church was built by Big Moose lumberjacks and dedicated by Bishop Gabriels from the Ogdensburg Diocese.

1900

Raquette Lake village moved to its present location from Long Point. Church services are held in private homes and the railroad station during the winter months.

1901

Chapel of the Lakes Presbyterian Church in Inlet dedicated by Dr. Samuel Niccolls.

1905

St. Peter's of the Lakes Episcopal Church on Fourth Lake founded and chapel erected in 1905 by Reverend William Mason Cook, then Rector of St. Augustine's Church in Illion, New York. Dr. William Seward Webb donated the land and Chris Goodsell did the construction of the original building.

1911

Presbyterian Chapel built in Thendara on land donated by Lyon deCamp.

1912

Clergy Lodge at St. Peter's of the Lakes on Fourth Lake built.

1914

Church of the Lakes manse completed in Inlet. The Church is moved back on the property unto a new foundation when Rte. 28 is built through Inlet.

1915

St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church erected in Inlet, NY. Prior to 1915, services were held at one of the local hotels in the summer months & in private homes during the winter.

1915

Dr. Niccolls dies on a fishing trip at the Adirondack League Club. George Villiere was his guide.

1917

New Presbyterian Church plan adopted in Old Forge with the building of a Gymnasium and Sunday school. Much of the money came from friends of Dr. Niccolls and members of the Adirondack League Club. The building of the sanctuary was postponed due to limit funds during World War I.

1921

Otter Lake Community Church dedicated. First service held July 9, 1921

Cemetery established in Old Forge on land donated by William Thistlethwaite

St. Mary of the Snows in Otter Lake dedicated in August

1924

The minister's lodge for the Otter Lake Community Church was built.

1926

Rev. Frank Reed, new pastor of Niccolls Church formerly the First Presbyterian Churh in Old Forge. He also ministered to Thendara, McKeever, Brandreth, Carter, Beaver River, Bald Mt. House, Little Moose-Bisby, and lumber camps.

Presbyterian Chapel in Thendara sold.

1927

A parcel of land was sold by the Huntington heirs to the Church of the Lakes, Inlet for a sum of one dollar in September of 1927 to build the Raquette Lake Chapel. In the winter of 1928, the Chapel was dedicated by executive of the Presbyterian Synod of New York Reverend V. L. Mackey and Reverend Arthur Dean.

1925

Death of Father John Fitzgerald, beloved pastor of St. Bartholomew's in Old Forge

1929

The first Balsam Bee Fair is held at Big Moose to raise money for a permanent chapel.

1930

A fire on undetermined origin engulfed Big Moose Chapel late July 19th, the night before the Sunday dedication service. Earl Covey was the architect and building contractor. The pink granite stone came from a quarry on Dart's Mountain. At services held outside the following day - the parishioners begin collecting funds to rebuild the church.

1931

The Big Moose Chapel is formerly dedicated on August 2 as an independent, nondenominational church. In less than a year after the fire, enough money was raised to rebuild the interior of the church.

1938

On January 18, 1938, fire destroyed the rectory at St. William's Long Point, Raquette Lake and all parish records. Father Daniel Lutz urged the community to build a new church in Raquette Lake village.

1939

The dedication of the new St. William's Church in the village of Raquette Lake took place December 1, 1939. The total cost of the land and the building was $19,260.16.

1951

In 1951, a dispute at Church of the Lakes arose over an organ and a second church split off forming the Inlet Community Church.

1960

The Albany Episcopal Diocese sold The Church of the Good Shepherd, St. Hubert's Island in Raquette Lake to Reverend Ralph Carmichael, pastor of the Church of Transfiguration in Blue Mt.

1961

Otter Lake Community Church observed its centennial year with special services. Sixty-seven ministers, serving two-week periods each summer representing the Baptist, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist churches, have preached in the Community Church since 1921.

1971

Rev. James Ulrich, becomes pastor of Niccolls Church in Old Forge. 

1974

New sanctuary of Niccolls Memorial Church dedicated July 17th. Rocco DePaul and Sons did the construction work.

1978

On Sunday, July 30, 1978, the Raquette Lake Chapel held its 50th Anniversary and published a booklet, The Raquette Lake Chapel - The First fifty Years.

1980

Sunday, June 20, 1980, the first service of the Centennial year was held at The Church of the Good Shepherd at Raquette Lake. Extensive renovation work by the Carmichael family and friends of the Chapel over the past decade help to keep an annual service open to the public each summer.

1990

Big Moose Station's Holy Rosary Catholic Church is demolished December 11th despite effort of a local committee to preserve the historic structure.

1991

Dedication of new St. Bartholomew's Church in Old Forge

1992

The non-profit group called the "Friends of St. Williams on Long Point" is organized to purchase and restore the historic Durant built church in the original Raquette Lake village.

Rev. & Mrs. Robert Stoudt come to Inlet Community Church

2001

Rev. James Ulrich celebrates his 30th year as pastor of Niccolls Memorial Church in Old Forge.

Church of the Lakes in Inlet celebrates centennial. New parish hall in the basement dedicated to Rev. David McDowell for his years of support to the Presbyterian parishes in the region.

"God's Country" Exhibit on the History of the Churches opens at the Town of Webb Historical Association. The exhibit will be on display through September 2002 at the Goodsell Memorial Home, Main St., Old Forge, NY. The museum is open FREE to the public - Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays from 9am to 2pm.


For additional information on the history of the Churches contact the Historical Association
Last Updated
December 4, 2001

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