1976 Lodge Fire
Night of the Fire photos by local photographer
Images day after fire
Sweet room that was removed immediately and not replaced.
Sweet from the old Lodge site. That room was removed and the current porch entrance is there. Scorched logs can still be seen on corner of Syracuse.
Eric Antonsonn on Beaver Camp bulldozer cleaning up lodge fire.
Sally E. Struffler full first hand account
Sally wrote her complete story down on request of the Unirondack board the very next day. Sally was 26 years old and she was new to camp that summer.
Names: Alan Thompson(counselor), Jim (James Garbarino)(director), Evelyn Anderson (cook), Judy Danforth (nurse)
Andy Fits - Counselor
Hi Folks, 2017 via email
This is Andy Fitts here, living on the island of Kauai.
I was a counselor at Unirondack the night of the lodge fire and was the second person at the scene of the conflagration. I remember it well, especially seeing the blaze grow and watching everything around me smoking and catching fire. It was eerie to hear the rope on the flagpole suddenly drop to the ground behind me. Everything was combusting around me and radiating outwards. That was one big fire!!
Article in the Watertown Daily Times July 17, 1976
Spring 1976 fire safety exits
were installed by camp Staff Erick Antonsonn, Mort Weldge, Mark Simpson? - the exit built on the Lodge dining wall was used by Sally to Exit the Lodge fire!
Eric Nasemann - a senior counselor in 1976
he took over as director when Jim Garbarino had to leave camp after fire and Nan having a baby (Zach).
For the campers it was sad as Eric had zero time for us, no more fun no more stories no more Eric for us that summer.