St. John’s in the Wilderness Episcopal Church
Encyclopedia
Paul Smiths, New York
Paul Smiths is a hamlet in the Town of Brighton in Franklin County, New York, on Lower Saint Regis Lake, in the Adirondacks, 10 miles north of Saranac Lake, located at 44°26' North 74°15' West....
in the Adirondacks, New York State, US. It was founded in 1876 by Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau
Edward Livingston Trudeau
Edward Livingston Trudeau, M.D., M.S., D. Hon., was an American physician who established the Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium at Saranac Lake for treatment of tuberculosis.-Biography:...
with the help of Paul Smith
Apollos Smith
Apollos Smith founded the Saint Regis House in the town of Brighton, known universally as Paul Smith's Hotel, one of the first wilderness resorts in Adirondacks...
and many of the wealthy camp owners around Spitfire
Spitfire Lake
Spitfire Lake is a part of the St. Regis River in the Adirondacks in northern New York State. Along with Upper and Lower St. Regis Lake, it became famous in the late 19th century as a summer playground of America's power elite, drawn to the area by its scenic beauty and by the rustic charms of...
, Upper, and Lower Saint Regis Lakes. The original log building burned in 1928, and was replaced by the present structure, designed by William G. Distin
William G. Distin
William G. Distin , an architect of Saranac Lake, New York, was an early associate of Great Camp designer William L. Coulter who went on to design a number of Adirondack Great Camps....
, in 1930. The non-denominational cemetery surrounding the church contains the graves of Dr. Trudeau, Paul Smith, Charles Minot Dole
Charles Minot Dole
Charles Minot "Minnie" Dole was the founder of the National Ski Patrol.Minnie Dole formed the National Ski Patrol in 1938 and was director of the organization until 1950....
(founder of the National Ski Patrol
National ski patrol
The National Ski Patrol is the largest winter rescue organization in the world. It was founded in 1938 by Charles Minot Dole, at the urging of Roger Langley...
), Clifford R. Pettis (the father of reforestation
Reforestation
Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....
) and several other notable residents of the area.