Brandreth Park
Encyclopedia
Brandreth Park is the oldest family-owned forest preserve in the state of New York.
, having made a fortune with his "Brandreth's Universal Vegetable Pills", bought Township 39 in Hamilton County
of upstate New York
, consisting of 26000 acres (105.2 km²) in the Adirondacks of New York State; he paid 15 cents an acre. in this manner he established “Brandreth Park”, the first private preserve in the future Adirondack Park. Included on the property is 890 acres (3.6 km²) "Brandreth Lake". Consequently, Hamilton County is one of the least densely populated counties in the eastern United States
. The property is mountainous and heavily forested.
Dr Brandreth lost the property in 1873 for failing to pay taxes, but his wife bought it at State auction for $5,091. Currently the property contains 12500 acres (50.6 km²) and is owned by 90 of Dr. Brandreth's descendants.
At one point the Adirondacks contained 45 such private estates, but as of 2000 only four remained and Brandreth's is the oldest.
Upon Brandreth's death in 1880, the property was eligible to be inherited by six of his children. Two of his sons, Franklin and Ralph Brandreth, and his son-in-law, General Edwin A. McAlpin
purchased the interests of the other children and consolidated ownership in their hands, and those of their heirs.
which became popular in the 1990s by concentrating all building on the north side of the lake, thereby ensuring pristine views toward the south. Property owners, all descendants of Dr. Brandreth, need to apply to the building committee of the Brandreth Park Association before building.
The property was not logged for many years, as the family desired to maintain it in a primitive condition. However in 1911-1919, a softwood harvest was performed by the Mac-a-Mac Lumber Corporation, of which John N. McDonald and Benjamin Brandreth McAlpin, son of Gen. Edwin A. McAlpin, were principals. This first harvest was extensive, with between 30-35 railcars of spruce logs shipped daily to the St Regis Paper Company's plant in Deferiet. Additionally, Mac-a-Mac was storing an additional 70 carloads of cut logs in ponds and lakes for later transport off the property. A second harvest took place in the mid 1920s. Since then the family has permitted occasional selective harvesting.
In the 1950s, the Brandreths sold 6000 acres (24.3 km²) and donated an additional 9000 acres (36.4 km²) to Syracuse University
while retaining recreational usage rights in perpetuity. Around this time the family created the Brandreth Park Association to provide a vehicle for each family member to have a voice in the management of the property, and to help pay for taxes and other operating costs. In 1992, the Association enrolled the property under the New York State Forest Tax Law
which provides for an 80% exemption from property taxes in exchange for a commitment to sustainable timber production. In 2007, some members of the family established a nonprofit organization known as the Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station in order to preserve and protect the land adjacent to present-day Brandreth Park, on which the family still retains recreational rights. This tract was last owned by the Nature Conservancy. The Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station makes the Shingle Shanty property available to outside parties for research subject to permit.
Description
In 1851 Dr. Benjamin BrandrethBenjamin Brandreth
Benjamin Brandreth was a pioneer in the early use of mass advertising to build consumer awareness of his product, a purgative that allegedly cured many ills by purging toxins out of the blood...
, having made a fortune with his "Brandreth's Universal Vegetable Pills", bought Township 39 in Hamilton County
Hamilton County, New York
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitution in 1787 and later the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant...
of upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, consisting of 26000 acres (105.2 km²) in the Adirondacks of New York State; he paid 15 cents an acre. in this manner he established “Brandreth Park”, the first private preserve in the future Adirondack Park. Included on the property is 890 acres (3.6 km²) "Brandreth Lake". Consequently, Hamilton County is one of the least densely populated counties in the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The property is mountainous and heavily forested.
History
The Park remains in the family today and incorporates a number of cabins and cottages in a preserved wilderness setting. According to Adirondack Life Magazine, Dr Brandreth commissioned a certain Mr. Blanchard to find him a lake at the top of the watershed, because he didn't want any water flowing into his lake. Blanchard found Township 39 and today the lake is known as Brandreth Lake.Dr Brandreth lost the property in 1873 for failing to pay taxes, but his wife bought it at State auction for $5,091. Currently the property contains 12500 acres (50.6 km²) and is owned by 90 of Dr. Brandreth's descendants.
At one point the Adirondacks contained 45 such private estates, but as of 2000 only four remained and Brandreth's is the oldest.
Upon Brandreth's death in 1880, the property was eligible to be inherited by six of his children. Two of his sons, Franklin and Ralph Brandreth, and his son-in-law, General Edwin A. McAlpin
Edwin A. McAlpin
General Edwin Augustus McAlpin was president of the D.H. McAlpin & Co., a tobacco manufacturer. He built the Hotel McAlpin in New York City, at the time the largest hotel in the world. He had an active military career in the New York National Guard and was appointed Adjutant General by the Governor...
purchased the interests of the other children and consolidated ownership in their hands, and those of their heirs.
Management
Throughout its ownership by the Brandreth family, the property has been managed in a way to preserve as much as possible its native character. In order to preserve the property's primitive character, all development is limited to the north end of Brandreth Lake, and no motor boats are allowed on the lake. The family anticipated the concept of cluster developmentCluster development
Cluster development is the economic development of business clusters. The cluster concept has rapidly attracted attention from governments, consultants, and academics since it was first proposed in 1990 by Michael Porter...
which became popular in the 1990s by concentrating all building on the north side of the lake, thereby ensuring pristine views toward the south. Property owners, all descendants of Dr. Brandreth, need to apply to the building committee of the Brandreth Park Association before building.
The property was not logged for many years, as the family desired to maintain it in a primitive condition. However in 1911-1919, a softwood harvest was performed by the Mac-a-Mac Lumber Corporation, of which John N. McDonald and Benjamin Brandreth McAlpin, son of Gen. Edwin A. McAlpin, were principals. This first harvest was extensive, with between 30-35 railcars of spruce logs shipped daily to the St Regis Paper Company's plant in Deferiet. Additionally, Mac-a-Mac was storing an additional 70 carloads of cut logs in ponds and lakes for later transport off the property. A second harvest took place in the mid 1920s. Since then the family has permitted occasional selective harvesting.
In the 1950s, the Brandreths sold 6000 acres (24.3 km²) and donated an additional 9000 acres (36.4 km²) to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
while retaining recreational usage rights in perpetuity. Around this time the family created the Brandreth Park Association to provide a vehicle for each family member to have a voice in the management of the property, and to help pay for taxes and other operating costs. In 1992, the Association enrolled the property under the New York State Forest Tax Law
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
which provides for an 80% exemption from property taxes in exchange for a commitment to sustainable timber production. In 2007, some members of the family established a nonprofit organization known as the Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station in order to preserve and protect the land adjacent to present-day Brandreth Park, on which the family still retains recreational rights. This tract was last owned by the Nature Conservancy. The Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station makes the Shingle Shanty property available to outside parties for research subject to permit.