Sandra Weber and Historical Society Host
Although the Lake Placid Historical Society meets on a regular basis, this is the first time I am attending one of their functions. This evening they are presenting author/performer Sandra Weber to entertain and enlighten us while depicting characters from her recent book, Adirondack Roots.

Ms. Weber has been summering in the Adirondacks for many years and is now pleased and proud to call Elizabethtown, our County seat, her full-time home.

The venue tonight is the back room at the Lake Placid Howard Johnson's and folks are encouraged to come early and have dinner. A good part of the audience has done just that so when Ms. Weber begins, most folks are sipping coffee or nibbling on desserts. It has the makings of a promising evening of engaging dinner theatre right here in the North Country!

The book Adirondack Roots premiered in the summer of 2011 but Ms. Weber explains that it represents the past twenty years of her life. She has authored six books about the Adirondacks to date and describes it as a "wonderful ride."

Sandra Weber in Character
She shares a sample of "Writing Gone Astray" with us early on. We listen to her account of how 15-year-old Esther McComb, who set out to hike Whiteface Mountain on her own, ends up scaling what would become her own High Peak—Esther Mountain. A plaque commemorating her journey can be found at the summit. While researching this story Sandra ended up collaborating with singer/songwriter Peggy Lynn to produce a folksong about young Esther.

Sandra describes her journey as a writing project gone astray because her original intent was to write a children's book for her young daughters but as publishers would have it, her first books became historical journeys. She goes on to treat us to the story of how Mt. Jo was named—sharing the popular legend but grounding it in actual research. If you are not familiar with the local legend let's just say that love, tuberculosis, and Niagara Falls all play a role in the drama. I think there's a film waiting to be made here.

Jeanne Robert Foster portrayed by Sandra Weber
Ms. Weber then turns to her costume trunk, hikes up her skirt, and brings us Adirondack adventurer Kate Field from Boston. It is another enchanting tale of an independent woman who championed the Adirondack mountains.  She tops the evening off with a superb Jeanne Robert Foster—an American poet originally from Johnsburg, NY. Jeanne Foster married well, went to NYC where she hobnobbed with the rich and famous and even became a fashion model —cover of Vanity Fair. She never forgot her Adirondack roots and became a 46er (one who hikes all 46 peaks over 4,000 feet) finishing with Nippletop wearing a long dress of the period (and she lived to be 91).

Sandra tells her stories well, both on a platform and in print. Her other books about the region include Two in the Wilderness (with photos by Carl Heilman), Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks (with Peggy Lynn), Mount Marcy, and The Finest Square Mile.

For more information on this and the other lectures in the Lake Placid Historical Society's 2013 series, click through to the web site.

This winter is packed with arts events in the North Country. There are exhibit openings, live theatre, concerts, not to mention winter carnival events. Click through to Lake Placid events to find out about other winter arts events in the Adirondacks.

Kathleen Recchia has been enjoying the arts in the Adirondacks for about 20 years—both as observer and participant (acting, directing, and producing). She also enjoys cross-country skiing, swimming, juggling, and hosting visitors to the area at her bed & breakfast in Jay.