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Gregory Rosenthal on An Environmental History of  Schenectady  and the  Adirondacks

 Greg Rosenthal completed his Master’s degree at SUNY Albany with a writing project that has captured the interest of dozens of scientists, inventors, engineers and  Adirondack  outdoors men and women. His book, Electric City Pond: An Environmental History of Schenectady and the Adirondacks surveys one hundred years of history (1850-1950) through the eyes and experiences of key individuals from the Schenectady-Albany area whose lives and careers dramatically shaped regional attitudes about industrial man, nature and theAdirondacks. Greg writes that he could never have completed his project without the rich source of research materials and support of PROTECT’s Adirondack Research Library, where he especially credits ARL’s Dorothy Barnes and Patty Prindle.

 On February 10, 2010 Rosenthal delivered the year’s first Arthur Crocker lecture, summarizing his thesis in a way which captivated the audience at PROTECT’s Center for the Forest Preserve. From the experiences of 19^th century Hudson Valley School painter and Union College graduate William Stillman, to noted Adirondack surveyor Verplanck Colvin, pioneering General Electric scientists Charles Steinmetz and Nobel Laureate Irving Langmuir, 20^th century champion of Lake George John Apperson, and youthful explorers and budding Adirondack conservationists Vincent and Paul Schaefer, Rosenthal paints a picture of the region’s nature, social and recreational activism, and scientific advancement shaping attitudes about how the Adirondacks should be set aside for nature and recreation - even as science and engineering marvels of the day created the cityscape, and altered and often descrecrated the landscape where these individuals grew up and worked. As tourism and development moved north to alter Adirondack shorelines, these individuals fought for a protected forest around  Lake George  and a wilderness setting for the larger Park. Meanwhile, they left a lasting legacy of ideas and institutions: some of the citizen and recreational organizations these individuals started or fostered still exist today. Many thanks to PROTECT’s Ken Rimany for arranging the lecture, and to Patty Prindle for all her encouraging efforts with Greg.

In the book’s dedication page, Rosenthal includes this quote from pioneering Lake George and  Adirondack  conservationist John S. Apperson: “I am back at my desk again but my mind is still above tree line.” To gain fascinating insights about the evolution of events and ideas which forever changed the Electric City, Lake George and the entire Adirondack Park, this book is a must read. PROTECT will soon make this book available from its website, www.protectadks.org. Part of the purchase price helps to support PROTECT’s diverse programs.