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The Adirondack "Great Camps" of the 1800s were opulent lodges nestled in the woods far away from roadways, their privacy ensured by vigilant caretakers and long, gated driveways. While they stirred the imagination of the public, most of the Great Camps endured only because they were donated to the public sector or sold to corporations with resources to maintain them.
In the late 1940s, Minnowbrook became an executive retreat for a large chemical company, mirroring the Great Camp tradition established seventy years before: luxury designed to harmonize with the surrounding forests, lakes, and mountains. In 1953, Minnowbrook was deeded to Syracuse University. The facility was converted into a conference center for a wide array of education-oriented meetings and workshops.
Strong allegiances grew over the next thrity-five years. When a 1988 fire destroyed the main lodge, the University committed two million dollars to an innovative reconstruction that retained Minnowbrook's architectural heritage while reflecting today's building codes and energy-efficient standards.
The new lodge showcases the best work of some of the country's finest craftsmen. Twenty-four-foot cathedral ceilings display amazing log trusses and balcony railings which were hand-hewn by Wyoming log sculptors. Windows frame the spectacular surroundings and bring leaf-shadowed light inside. As a result of this careful blending of old and new, Minnowbrook reflects both twentieth century ingenuity and inspired craftsmanship that will function efficiently and graciously into the twenty-first century.
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