Historic Saranac Lake (HSL) is planning two events to celebrate the completion of construction at the Trudeau Building in downtown Saranac Lake. The events will mark the end of the first phase of HSL’s project to expand their Saranac Laboratory Museum to become a two-building museum campus. New exhibits are expected to open in the Trudeau Building in summer of 2026.
Historic Saranac Lake purchased the former home and medical office of Dr. E.L. Trudeau in 2019 to preserve the historic building and utilize the additional space for expansion of their museum. Five years later, the multi-million dollar construction project is coming to completion, and HSL is ready to celebrate.
Both buildings are intimately connected to Saranac Lake’s unique history as a center for tuberculosis research and patient care.
HSL will host an invitation-only Construction Completion Celebration on Saturday, June 28. Those who have contributed to the museum expansion project and members of Historic Saranac Lake are invited to this special celebration.
Starting at 3 pm, guests will have the opportunity to tour the building. Brief remarks will be shared starting at 3:30. Guests are invited to an informal reception at the Hotel Saranac, featuring a special beer donated by RiverTrail Beerworks, “The Pour-tico,” commemorating the distinctive portico entrance.
HSL is planning another celebration on Saturday, July 19, when the doors to the Trudeau Building will be thrown open to the entire community for a festive Open House. The event will take place from 2 pm until 5 pm, free of charge. The celebration will feature music on the back porch, light refreshments, and RiverTrail’s special beer, while supplies last.
“It’s a large building that was heavily used as medical offices for over 100 years,” said HSL Executive Director Amy Catania. “It was a big job to restore the building and bring it up to code, but we are extremely happy with the results. Our contractor, Bishop Beaudry Construction, has been fabulous partners on this complex project. We appreciate their generous lead sponsorship of the June event.
“We are grateful for generous support from state and federal grants, historic preservation tax credits, and private donations of all sizes, from hundreds of donors,“ said Board President Amy Jones.
She highlighted the top five grant sources: The Environmental Protection Fund of the NY State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, New York Main Street, New York State Council on the Arts, the Northern Border Regional Commission, and the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
The new museum provides the space to present the rich history of the Saranac Lake region, encompassed by the boundaries of the sprawling Saranac Lake school district. History of Indigenous peoples will be introduced, in collaboration with the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center in Onchiota.
The overarching story of the expanded museum is the relationship of residents and visitors to the natural environment of the Saranac Lake region. The Adirondack mountains and waterways sustained Indigenous people and attracted early settlers and health seekers. Today the natural world continues to drive local economies and draw people seeking recreation.
The Trudeau building is dedicated in memory of Mary Rousmaniere Gordon, who spent three and a half years in Saranac Lake recovering from tuberculosis.
During that time her husband visited every other weekend from New York. Mary found her health in Saranac Lake, and she returned home to her family, giving birth to sons John and Dan after her cure.
The building includes improved space for collections storage, as well as a research room where the public can access the collection. The collections wing is dedicated in the memory of Dr. David V. Pecora by Dorothy, his wife of 70 years. Dr. Pecora served as chief of surgery at the Ray Brook State Tuberculosis Hospital until 1965.
HSL continues to raise funds for the second phase of the project to support the new exhibits, a universally accessible lift addition at the Saranac Laboratory, and an endowment fund.
Board President Amy Jones thanked Bishop Beaudry Construction, LLC for sponsoring the event at the gold level. Silver Sponsors are Judy Landes, Kathy O’Kane, the Joan Grabe Fund at Adirondack Foundation, and Hyde Fuel. Bronze level sponsors are Mike and Wendy Lincoln, Champlain National Bank, Landmark Consulting, LLC, NBT Bank.
Founded in 1980, Historic Saranac Lake is a not-for-profit architectural preservation organization that preserves and presents area history and architecture to build a stronger community. The Saranac Laboratory Museum is open year-round, Tuesday-Saturday, from 10 am until 5 pm.
For more information visit the Historic Saranac Lake website.
Illustrations, from above: Trudeau Building Museum Rendering; and completed front portico entrance (provided).
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