What is the ADIRONDACK GILDED AGE TOUR?

Mark Twain coined the phrase "gilded age" for the turn of the 19th century. It was a time when vast fortunes were made in America by the Captains of Industry who built railroads, manufactured steel and established Wall Street.  For these wealthy entrepreneurs- men like Vanderbilt, Carnegie, J.P. Morgan and Collis P. Huntington- fabulous wilderness estates were built in the heart of the Adirondacks so these American aristocrats could live in luxury in the most remote wilderness.  To access these rambling wilderness estates they forged a personal transportation system of railroads, steamboats and carriages.

20th century "aristocrats" have adopted the Adirondacks as well.  Kate Smith, Mary Lou Whitney and Bill Gates have all discovered the enchantment of the Adirondacks.  Today, the Gilded Age Tour captures that era and gives visitors a special sense of time and place in history.  They will be able to visualize themselves walking in the footsteps of these historic travelers. They’ll encounter the wide-open grandeur of Raquette Lake as W.W. Durant did when he envisioned the first Great Camp.  They’ll stroll through the rooms and grounds of Great Camp Sagamore as Alfred Vanderbilt did, hearing the cry of a loon on a silent lake. They’ll enter a private railroad car and savor the luxury and craftsmanship afforded few on their visit to the Adirondack Museum.

At the end of the journey the visitor will have a greater appreciation for the Adirondack environment that created a generation of wilderness lovers, and will be inspired to continue on that journey.   

The Adirondack Park's six million acres of public and private lands in northern New York State make it the largest wilderness area in the contiguous United States.

	Raquette Lake Navigation Indulge in a gourmet lunch or dinner and historic cruise aboard the W.W. Durant ...read more
	Great Camp Sagamore Marvel at the rustic elegance enjoyed by the Vanderbilt family at Great Camp Sagamore ...read more
	Adirondack Museum And explore fascinating regional history at the Adirondack Museum ...read more