The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-26
THE WATERING PLACES.

VUr UeOTSc correspondence.
FORT WILLIAM HENRY HorSI.
LAKE GEORGE. July Is, 1861
Amsricon and Frei0n Seen%y-A Spot not Hdckgeyed oy
I" Fashionable" Patrond9e-Ndsural Beauties and Hu
ori al Interest # Lake George Eamuy Associatons-Ihe
Way to Make Summer Ttapel Profitable and Redl1yul
Tho.e who talk much about the beauties Of foreign
scenery the romantic character of ths SWISS Scotch
aud lr lakes and Of the local trad which inipar
additional interest to their natural charms-had better
come here. Let them range the wide world over and
they will find spot In which all these fea' ures are
combined 10 q more remarkable e1tent tnan on Lake
George -, =
rable ION OF this house, commands view or the en-
ire south extremity OF the akeI be hold 'etchng
before me tho Two ranges of verdure clad hills De
which this beautiful sheet OF water los gttering IN
the afternoon like mirror its gu face undis
urbeo by the slightest breeze and broken only ut ioter
walls by the SHADOWS Of Inc mounaina OF OF .ne
CHI dot its entire extent To the rghttne noun
continue enshrouded In the soft mist which has pre-
vailed since morning. leaving nothing dehned save tner
outlines Which either b. eak suddenly down 10 The waters
edge or fall of in gentle undulatons into the dis ance
In seroupd no ~ever this ndsnctness In their de-
tails is in part dspeed by those beautiful uoang euecs
Of light hch difficult to paint ana WI - Iosm the
great charm In some of best modern works of art
There but few Of the works Of tho old painters 10 which
these delicate effects OF ght and shade are t. DO found,
strong contrasts being their general The
Epgfb landscape painters have obtained deservedy
bgn reputation for their close study of atmospheric pecu
haries and painters closely in their
wake The works Of tcientous artists I'D Church,
young Coleman and others, will room raise the value OF
American Productions tc the level OF the best Of the English
and French schools
There is one feature in the American landscape which
always deac somewba. from its attractions in the
eyes Of thoee accustomed TO European scenery aude
to the absence Il the picturesque Old rrns relics OF the
feuds ages ard the modern bsropal chaeaux and resi-
dences which possess such interest Tor the art anna
teur To his deficiency have tbs gra
tHcaoi Of cling that scenery possesses features
of grandeur peculiar to iee and to De found nowhere
In other country and moreover that such as 1t Is
nothing Of its beauty to artificial effects purchased at
the cost Of the tears and blood of past generations
But in traditions Of this character Lake George IL not
without ts historical interest. Il all who
guaiped with the history of TIN con'tnent, aware
closely identified with the struggle infancy hsweea
the .rsb and French In the middle Of the last century
Close to the spot where am nos writing, was fought In
1855 what called the b. lie OF Lake George oetweea
the Frer Oh under Baron Deskau and the English under
81, william Johnston To this day there are found
in Bloody Pond, into which the bodies Of the
In ,be shape OF dead mems bones and rusty weapons
whilst in the Immediate vicnit, of thu building, In which
lam now seated are constantly turning GO evidences Of
the still able Of Fort Villa der'y
by which, Two later the honor OF the French arms
| was irre,rievrbh furnished.
The Fort william Henry Hotel, which Is built on pr
ton Of the ere of the old fort and which, as have already
mentioned faces directly the head Of tho lake, Is n ex
tensye eddce. plain hut hautsctle front, including
10 its DETAILS three deep balconies running nearly the
entire length Of the building ihese contribute greatly 70
the enjoy nen0 and comfort Of the visitors, a. without
these owing 70 its southern aspect lie building would be
ipsuner~by hot. Corridors Of unusual width sri apart
Of prop ortonae dimensions give all the air and
4
there always delightful breeze playing tie surface
Of the akc, which watts It's refreshing GOODNESS oughou
| the building
When arrived here found the house only haI aIed-
circumstance which sstonshed greatly considering
the snrpassng beauty ~dness Of the scenery, and
the admirable domestic arrangements OF the hotel No
table kept any of the fret houses of tn kind
at Saratoga any other of our fashionable watering
places, whist air of quiet comfort and enjoyment per
vades the place. which for me- least, attraction
t,at have never found at any of them i could not
help wondering at the bad Ia, which takes Of
.tf-ens q
deur and historical pterest that Of Lake George and
lake ChamplAin, and belaug place, of such home like
and oy able cha acier "a Fort William Henry.
TIE fact s In some degree 10 be accounted for by the
absence of ra sd communicatons with the lake Part
Of the distance from Saratoga has IN be accomplished by
rather rough road but this ought 10 he
sdered hardship b. the summer tourist, seeing that
the road takes him by Glen Fails, which 10 one Of the
picturesque spos the eighborhood Starting from
Saratoga at half past p the traveller reaches THIS
place about III the same nigh' sner most aegn'ia ana
bath and comfortable supper, after ~hi,h, II he cannot
sleep sounoy, he must have poor digestion Indeed
The FORT william Henry Hotel wss built BY acomnany Of
gentlemen no the habit of annually visiting the lake
and the snt society Of the pace-that during the
soumer principally made up them and Their
families The steady patronage parties and their
wealth and position impa character OF respecaotv "a
the Mace which IL no, Al avs TO be found at similar estab
isbmenis The families that assemble here all com
posed OF who dis ike the buste and sxcte OF
fa,bonaole erng places and who like to eDios the
beauties or nature untrsmmeled by the forms and restrc
tons Of city society They rarely miss season here
secure av their rooms beforehand, and generally
bring with The their Carriages and servants Amongst the
visitors at present ssypg nere are Mes nth and
family, w. p Jones ana family Augustus Q Downing ani
family David Banks ard family Genry Swift and IN mil
nr W. H. Van Bacen and family, Edgar Rees and family,
Henry swim and family, tn mas Thomas, ths architect
SC ~ Besides the inmaes the hotel is supported
by q number of uanaient vvers their way to the
| white ami Grsen Mountains and ntreal Hall oy Lakes
George and Champlan
would strongly recommend all who dislike the fdss
ceremony OF the fahionabe watering places 10 visit
this place There " spot where fes weeks can be
rore sgreeably and probably passed. both regards
| health and sociesy. The steamer. the Mumchaha
which plies up and down the lake. connecting with Lake
Champ ain vi enable them vary the pleasure
by vfls 10 all the points Of interest In this romanti
region.