Adirondack Museum Publication

The Adirondacks are unlikely to see another family like the Durants. Ambition, foresight, imagination as well as scandal feature prominently in the rise and fall of these remarkable Victorians. The father, Thomas C. Durant, was a key figure in the construction of the nation's first transcontinental railroad. He and his son, William West Durant, came to control more than half a million acres of the central Adirondacks. These lands, they believed, would make them the leading regional developers of their time. Alas, their grand plans fell apart. William West Durant, however, left a lasting legacy by creating the prototype of the rustic retreat popularly known today as the Adirondack great camp. Black and white historic photographs. 170 pages. Softcover. 1981, 3rd printing 1998.