美しいアディロンダックホビーファームの美しいコテージ

Through lucky circumstances and financial help from my family, I own a precious 40 acres atop a mountain in the Adirondacks with a small cluster of buildings including my great-grandparents’ century-old Bird Camp, four glamping tents and several cabins I have built in the last few years.

From early spring until the leaves change color in the fall, I have the honor to host vacationing guests who come to the Adirondack Mountains from all over the world, and who leave with generous notes of thanks and lovely reviews for having had the opportunity to live as I do with my children now, and as my grandparents and great-parents once did here. We treasure our farm-like setting reminiscent of an 1800’s farm with pleasant meadows, beautiful mountain views and brilliant star-filled nights, and I am grateful to my family for helping us preserve this special place.

A few years ago, I bought 40 acres of beautiful land abutting the original property. Gorgeous mountain views and open meadows were reclaimed by clearing trees, and the historic Shields Road which accesses this portion of the land has been rebuilt. Originally I intended to build single family homes for sale, but the evolved to retaining all the land the building, as finances permit, sweet rental cabins (Camp HudsonView and Camp TwoSome), walking trails and this year, a fabulous Japanese temple with a cedar hot tub.

I am grateful that I’ve had fascinating professional and personal experience, and that I may live in an insanely beautiful wild place. I have a small business offers interesting challenges and rewards. I spend the winter building rustic furniture for my rentals, plowing snow with my four wheeler and working as weather permits on the properties.

And through the warm months, I have the opportunity to meet lovely people from all over the world who treasure what we have here. Our guests bring life, laughter, children and love to our quiet mountain retreat.

Forward!

Leslie Clement

The Adirondack Mountains are a spectacular range in upstate New York that showcases the breathtaking beauty of nature. There is a beautiful lake three miles down the winding road. It is completely natural and quiet with no sign of civilization on its shores.

Our guests enjoy spectacular views and acres of land that consists of pristine woods, meadows, vistas, and a spring-fed pond. The Hudson River is just down the hill, and the town of North Creek is five miles away. There is a historic cemetery next door, and Gore Mountain Ski Center and Garnet Hill are only a few miles away. Albany is only an hour-and-a-half away, and guests can reach Montreal within two hours. They can even take a short four-hour road trip to New York City. The town of North Creek is five miles away off the main Route 28 road. North Creek is a scenic little town with some great restaurants, a grocery store, a liquor store, some shopping places, and a scenic train called the Saratoga/North Creek Railroad, which takes folks in antique train cars along the Hudson River. Gore Mountain Ski Center is off Route 28 in North Creek.

My family’s connection with the Adirondacks goes back to 1905 when my great-aunt Edie Bird --- then a teenager living in Port Washington, Long Island --- became sick with TB. At that time, the Adirondack wilderness had acquired a reputation for its health giving properties, and people were convinced that the fresh air, isolation, and plenty of rest and wholesome food would help people infected with TB. So my great-grandparents sent their daughter Edie here to North River where she “took the cure” by boarding at the nearby Cedarwood Farm where she sat outside all winter with the other boarders, bundled under quilts on the porch, and in summer walking the roads and wildflower meadows. Happily, my great-aunt Edie Bird recovered from the dreaded TB (the owners of the farm were not so lucky -- they contracted and died of TB themselves).

In 1910, my great-grandparents, Tim and Ida Bird, bought eight acres of beautiful property on “Christian Hill” (as it was once known) in North River. (I have since then bought an additional abutting 40 acres). They then built a small “shingle style” camp in the rustic Adirondack style which we call Bird Cabin --- siting the small rustic dwelling to capitalize on dramatic southward views across the Gore Mountain range and the Hudson River two miles below. They brought up by train beautiful leaded glass windows and other building materials from a demolished Guggenheim estate on Long Island. Building materials were locally acquired --- cedar shingles, stone, milled lumber nearby North Creek where intensive amounts of logging was being done. Traditionally, the women and children stayed all summer while the men traveled back and forth. Life was leisurely. Visiting, and having visitors, was an important part of life. Cooking was done with a hand pump and wood cook stove. It was a four day long trip from Port Washington, Long Island.

We are delighted to share this special property today with visiting guests from all over the world.