Lake Placid News, July 5, 1940 In June 1937 the Saranac Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mose Minnie/George Lyeth Post 3357, hosted the 18th annual Encampment of the Department of New York Veterans of Foreign Wars. The program listed places to eat, and places to dance:
Places with an orchestra and dancing included:
- Hanmer's on New York Route 86 to Saranac Inn
- Chances, Inc., 94 Main Street
- Hotel Saranac
- Alpine Tavern, 90 Broadway
- The Floridel, Moody Pond Road
- Birk's Swiss Chalet, on New York route 3
- Alex Grove on state Route 3 North to Loon Lake
- Durgan's Grill on New York Route 86 North to Lake Clear
- Major Dawson's on New York Route 86 to Saranac Inn.
Those with a victrola and dancing included:
- Belvedere Restaurant at 57 Bloomingdale Avenue
- Elks Club at 19 Bloomingdale Avenue
- Ray Brook Inn (about where the Ford Agency is today) on state Route 86 South to Ray Brook
- Brown's Evergreen Tea Room (where the Tail O' The Pup is) on state Route 86 South to Ray Brook.
Places to eat
- Pascal Urgo Restaurant, 173 Broadway
- Alpine Hotel 84 Broadway
- Jewtraw's, River Street on Lake Flower
- Adirondack Hotel, 81 Broadway
- St. Regis Hotel, 1 Bloomingdale Avenue
- McVeety's Lunch, 7 Bloomingdale Avenue (later the Miss Saranac Diner first owned by Phil Collins and later owned by Hugh McKillip)
- The Rathskeller, 36 Broadway (later the Dew Drop Inn)
- Pat Fina, 80 Broadway
- City Restaurant, 51 Broadway (also the One Minute Lunch, the lunch counter attached to the City Restaurant).
- Queen Tea Garden, 39 Broadway
- Nick's Sandwich Shop, 18 Broadway
- Downing and Cane, 15 Broadway
- Pontiac Confectionery 11 Broadway (attached to the Pontiac Theater where all the candy was made on the premises by the Sarbanes family)
- Carson's, 24 Broadway
- Mrs. Lemuel Witherbee, 41 Woodruff Street
- French's, 74 Broadway
- J.J. Newberry Co., 65 Main Street
- F. W. Woolworth, 61 Main Street
- Fran Walsemann, 119 Broadway (later Bernie Wilson's Restaurant)
- Club Restaurant, 29 Main Street
- A. B. Hickok, 303 Broadway
- Bouck's Bowling Academy, 5 Woodruff Street
- Foster's Home Lunch
Source: Howard Riley, "Where to eat", Adirondack Daily Enterprise, December 27, 2008
Lake Placid News, June 11, 1937
V.F.W. ENCAMPMT AT SARANAC LAKE OPENS WEDNESDAY
Expect 6000 Veterans at Three-day Council —Parade, Military Ball and Musical Competition Highlights
The invasion of Northern New York by 6,000 Veterans of Foreign Wars and their auxiliary companions for the most stirring conclave ever held in the northern part of the state will open in Saranac Lake on Wednesday when the boys who have seen service in foreign campaigns of the United States gather for their 18th annual encampment.
The meeting will bring together posts and councils from every county of New York State for discussion of affairs important to veterans, their wives and children and every other citizen of the country, which is contained in the V. F. M. [sic] 5-point program.
In the uniforms of their various posts, the veterans will advance on Saranac Lake to the tune of 20 musical units from the organization that will fill the air with martial music reminiscent of World War days.
The encampment will open at Pontiac Theatre with a solemn memorial to those who have died in military service of the United States. This impressive ceremony will be open to the public and will unfold the colorful ritual of the organization to commemorate the memory of those who laid down their lives for their country.
An equally colorful event will bring the encampment will close when the entire convention gathers in full regalia for the military ball on Friday night. Prizes won at the musical competition for bands, fife, drum and bugle corps and women's drill teams are to be awarded there.
The musical competition will be a highlight of the encampment at the municipal field on Friday morning at 10 o'clock. More than 26 musical units of the V. F. W. will compete for cash prizes amounting to $1,000. The encampment parade, the most picturesque event of the conclave, will get under way at 7 p.m., Friday, and will be led by the 26th U. S. A. Infantry band and regiment which will be followed by a mounted division of Troop B, New York State police.
See also: 1949 Post Ball
