Back in its prime, Tahawus, New York was a bustling mining community. Those that were to visit this hidden town on the Hudson River today, however, would never guess. That’s because Tahawus has since become a ghost town, though it’s a perfect place to explore for history fans and lovers of all things spooky.
The history of Tahawus:
The history of Tahawus dates back to 1826, when Archibald McIntyre and David Henderson discovered iron ore on the banks of the Upper Hudson. Thus, a mining operation was created and continued on and off for decades. Nearby, a village was constructed to support workers, named McIntyre, though it was renamed Adirondac around 1840.
Adirondack.net writes that, in its heyday, “the village included two farms, a blast furnace and forge, a puddling furnace, charcoal and brick kilns, trip hammers, a grist mill, and a saw mill. There were 16 dwellings and a building with a cupola that was used as a school, a church, and a general assembly room. The village even had its own bank, the first organized state bank in the Adirondacks, called McIntyre Bank.”
In 1858 Adirondac became deserted, though the village and surrounding property were leased to a hunting and fishing club, the Preston Ponds Club, in 1876. Most of the run-down buildings were replaced with cottages, creating a bustling village once again. At this time, it was renamed Tahawus.
The village’s mines eventually reopened in 1941, though by 1962 the company decided to relocate to Newcomb, thus Tahawus became a ghost town for the second time.
What does Tahawus look like today?
The Open Space Institute (OSI), a New York City-based organization that works to protect land, secured the purchase of the land of Tahawus in 2004. Being it’s common for ghost towns in the Adirondacks to inevitably succumb to weather elements, however, most of the buildings, which were constructed between 1890 and 1930, were deteriorating.
Today, those that visit Tahawus will find that majority of the buildings have been fully demolished for safety and contamination reasons, though a few notable historical landmarks still stand, including the MacNaughton Cottage (where Theodore Roosevelt received the news that he’d become President following William McKinley’s assassination) and McIntyre Blast Furnace (dating back to 1854). Remnants of machinery used in the original mining operations still remains, as well.
Overall, 212 acres are held for educational, historic, and recreational purposes.
How to get to Tahawus
Tahawus can be found at the base of the Mt. Marcy trailhead in The Adirondacks outside of Newcomb. The drive there is just under five hours, though you can also get there by hopping on the following train route:
- NY Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station
- Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station → Port Henry Amtrak Station
- Port Henry Amtrak Station → Tahawus (via car)