NOTE: This event is hosted by the Northern New York Library Network (NNYLN) and any registration/questions should go through them. Learn more and register here.

Researchers, genealogists, students, teachers, and the general public are invited to take part in the NNYLN's North Country Showcase on Friday, 12/17 at 11AM!

This month, HSL Archivist / Curator Chessie Monks-Kelly will share collections that document the history of research at the Saranac Laboratory. The Saranac Laboratory was built in 1894 for Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau; it was the first laboratory in the United States for the study of tuberculosis. Although the laboratory’s initial and main purpose was to study TB, the scientists working there examined many related subjects throughout its 70-year history, including the effects of asbestos on the human body.

Historic Saranac Lake has recently received two important collections that shed light on the history of the Saranac Laboratory and the work carried out there.

First, the papers of Dr. Edward R. Baldwin, who was a close friend and colleague of Dr. Trudeau, and started the Trudeau School of Tuberculosis in 1916. These collections reflect Dr. Baldwin’s personal and professional life in Saranac Lake and shed light on the work at the Saranac Laboratory around the time of Dr. Trudeau’s death.
The second collection is the Bristol Family papers. This collection is primarily made up of Dr. Leonard Bristol’s reports, research notes, and more created during his work as a radiologist at the Saranac Laboratory. Dr. Bristol’s radiologic work included a 1940s study commissioned by the Johns Manville Corporation on asbestos; he was often called to testify in asbestos litigation cases.

Both of these collections have fascinating research possibilities across many subjects and highlight the legacy of the work conducted at the Saranac Laboratory. In this session, Monks-Kelly will share more about the contents of these two collections and how to use them, and provide a general overview of HSL’s fascinating records of the tuberculosis industry in Saranac Lake.

We want you to be a part of Historic Saranac Lake and the Saranac Laboratory Museum! On Saturday September 18th, the museum will host a Community Day and offer free admission to the Saranac Laboratory during open hours, 10:00am to 5:00pm. We invite you to explore the exhibits, check out the Cure Porch on Wheels and participate in a family activity. Stop by to share your thoughts about our future museum expansion into the Trudeau Building! We want to hear from you!

Friday, September 17, 6:00PM -- Historic Saranac Lake Archivist/Curator Chessie Monks-Kelly will talk about the history of occupational therapy in Saranac Lake and its use with tuberculosis patients. Monks-Kelly will highlight some of the artists and craftspeople featured in the exhibit and talk about the public response to the exhibit. This presentation will take place in person in the John Black Room of the Saranac Laboratory Museum, and masks are required for attendees. This presentation will be recorded and shared online at a later date.

Note: the Art of the Cure exhibit will close in November 2021. Catch it while you can!

[Photograph: Martin Koop (center) and other patients making jewelry in the workshop. Historic Saranac Lake Collection.]

Want to get involved as a docent with Historic Saranac Lake and the Saranac Laboratory Museum? Join us for walk-in training hours Wednesdays and Fridays from 10AM to 12PM, August 18 through September 3. Training may also include administrative tasks as interests dictate.

No registration is required, but you can fill out our volunteer form in advance. If you cannot join us during open hours, fill out the above form or contact Mahala Nyberg by email or at 518-891-4606.