Adirondack Activism
The Apperson Archives
May 27, 1926 – JSA to C. L. Pettis (Superintendent of Forests)
May 27, 1926 – JSA to Mr. C. R. Pettis (Superintendent of Forests)
Dear Pettis:
You expressed over the 'phone to me yesterday your desire to complete the long drawn out effort on lot #11 and without adding to the voluminous correspondence on the subject, I should express to you again that I have but one desire and that is that the State own this land at minimum cost with justice and the least trouble possible to all the people affected.
The subject has been so thoroughly thrashed out in every detail that no appreciable time could be lost by making known to Mr. Morehouse the details of your plan of final action. As you know, he was retained by the Commissioner on this transaction and has all the papers on the subject. I am writing this letter with the idea that I may not have made this entirely clear to you on the 'phone last night.
I advised you that I have the impression from Mr. Hopkins that the Coolidge people claim approximately 6,000 feet of shore in lot #19 which includes Amphitheater Bay and they offered the entire lot to the state on a basis of $3.00 per foot. There is about 1,000 feet with good shore approach for campsites and also an additional 1,000 feet that is not so good but could also be used for building purposes. In general, I consider that any land on Lake George is worth $3.00 a shore foot at this time. The demand for land has greatly increased in the last two years.
If, however, an unsightly structure should be built on lot #19 by the owner or purchaser which might greatly damage the environment, the valuation could of course change. A real estate company have[sic] recently offered building sites on this lot for sale and it appears that the state will have to act promptly to forestall any further building.
You no doubt appreciate that Amphitheater Bay is in the minds of the public jst as essential to the west shore as Paradise Bay is to the east shore, and since the state has acquired all the other land on the west chores, the acquisition of this lot is made even more essential.
I am writing in this way to assist you in getting a picture of the situation as it appears to a number of us who have recently been over the land personally, and to assure you that we would be glad to assist you in any way we can to hasten the acquisition of this ot by the state.
Cordially yours,
JSApperson
John Apperson's Lake George
Now Available as part of Arcadia Publishing's Images of America Series. See more photos and learn more stories about John Apperson and his quest to save the natural beauty of Lake George.
Ellen Apperson Brown
Ellen Apperson Brown grew up hearing colorful stories about "Appy," her father's favorite uncle. After many years of scholarly research, she has become a leading authority on his life and accomplishments. Most of the images are from her personal collection or from the Kelly Adirondack Research Center, Union College.
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