If you look at these Archives you might wonder, " where did all this stuff come from and how could it all be accumulated in one place?"

Well It is puzzling even to me how these original documents ended up in my collection. But I can try to shed some light.

About 1981 when my father became President of the board a cardboard box came into our house.  Looking into the files in the box I discovered a treasure of odd Unirondack related documents.  It turns out there were boxes handed down, mostly from President to President and Secretary to Secretary - as people came and left the board these important collection of historic documents were handed down.  I doubt many people ever looked at them.  Eventually the boxes ended up in a past board members attic.  

Over the years I obtained a reputation for collection Unirondack documents so when an attic was cleaned or a house was getting ready for sale things would be found and somehow my name came up and I would travel to retrieve boxes or they would be shipped to me.

Another source was records left at the camp.  Combing through boxes of damp ratty files and photos important items were saved from the fires and ravages of camp life.

  Jon Gottfried took this approach and gathered every photo and album in the lodge and had them all professionally scanned.  This collection supplies a lot of the camp photos on the archives.

  I think because different people rotated as the secretary over the years they would tend to save everything and hand it down.  So we end up with the personal notes and effects of many many board members due to their roles as secretary.  

Then you have major collections from past Presidents who each spent decades working on Unirondack so their collections span the decades - Joyce and Dick Gilbert, Suzanne McNamarra, Tom Cutter, Joe M.,  Sally Carmen and the original collector Verna Carncross.

   Verna Carncross was connected to the camp from its initial roots with her husband  and boys.  Verna collected everything and anything of importance was sent to Verna for her files.  I think some boxes may still be with Fred Carncross but quite a bit of stuff I have is marked with Verna's name so some of her collection did find its way here.

Collecting Archives since the internet is harder as there is no physical item left behind.  Board members will have to share their emails and documents as they work through events in the camps life.          - IF YOU HAVE something to share:  email it over:  DevinHollands@gmail.com or ship it:  Devin Hollands 507 Wilson Ave East Rochester, NY 14445

An example below is how the Archive was built, staying in touch with connected people and then the request to TAKE THIS STUFF AWAY!!!

2006  Preview of Archive Site Dream

Devin D. Hollands <dhollands@neconsultingpartners.com>Thu, Feb 23, 2006, 1:40 PM

A preview of our Archiving Project is attached.  If it is not allowed to come

through e-mail me and I will forward to you.  A simple letter from 1946

looking for a site for the summer session and stating a dream for a

permanent home.

I have dreams of the unirondack.org based archive having several sections, including our

collection of historic documents, photos showing camp through the years,

photos of Workers and work projects, written history through stories

from contributors, photos from camp sessions/ camper/staffer photos

through the years.  Video's from camp movies/videos.  Other categories

of interest.

you can see some old photos and other galleries on the photo section right now!

I have just sent Marcus over 90 photos of Leining Building project, from

ripping the old building down to the construction of the new building.

I am searching for any known photos of Adam Farington's various projects

and art he created at camp.

If you have stories you have written or adventures you need to document,

write them down and send them to me.  These stories and memories will

constitute the living history of the camp.

I need to locate Eric Nasemann to get the original Hydofax story, if

anyone can connect me with him.

I need Renna K/B to document the building of the largest Hydrofax

recreation that I know of.  We do have photos of this as it was recycled

for use in the first #4 Parade the camp entered, in 1988 at the first

staff reunion.

think of what happened the week when you were at camp and document it for us.

some stories needed:

the Waffler

the Meteor on the field

Lisa's Airplane ride home from camp (1980)

Telephone service to the Island

The Microburst, and the family camp with no power

Building the lean-to 1981-1983

Building the crew shop

55 years of other camping, adventures and your stories

stories from, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s

take care,

Devin

devinhollands@gmail.com

585-309-3898