Address: The southwest shore of Upper Saranac Lake, near Deer Island
Year built: Before 1903 1
Camp Arokortu was owned by S. A. Swenson and Eric P. Swenson.
Note: There was another camp owned by a Swenson, "Swenson Camp", at the south end of Upper Saranac Lake. And there was another "Camp Arokortu" on Hoel Pond, owned by Eugene Simonin, and yet another on Silver Lake.
New York Times, August 2, 1903
Eric P. Swenson, Jr., of the Yale freshman crew has joined Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Swenson at their cottage on the Upper Saranac Lake, near the Wawbeek.
New York Times, July 16, 1905
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., has leased Camp Arokortu, near Wawbeek, for the season. Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller are expected the first of the week, and will probably make many visits during the Summer to Bay Pond, the Adirondack place of Mr. Rockefeller's uncle, William Rockefeller.
New York Times, July 30, 1905
Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller are at Camp Arokortu, which they have leased of Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Swenson. The Rockefellers are not taking any part in social life on the Upper Saranac Lake.
New-York tribune, July 3, 1910
Mrs. E.P. Swenson and R.S. Swenson, (possibly Roderick Swenson?) of New York, have joined the other members of the Swenson family at their bungalow on the bay, near Wawbeek.
Malone Farmer, July 11, 1917
The main building of the handsome S. A. Swenson camp at Upper Saranac Lake was destroyed by fire in the night a week or so ago, and Mrs. E. P. Swenson and son and son's classmate, together with the servants at the camp, barely escaped with their lives. The Swenson party arrived the day before the fire and decided to remain over night before going to their own camp an eighth of a mile away. The fire had gained such headway before the occupants were aroused that they were obliged to rush out through fire and smoke clad only in their night robes. Their clothes, money and valuables were all destroyed by the flames. The fire was of mysterious origin and started in the attic. The electric wiring was in fireproof conduits. The property loss is estimated at $35,000. Mr. S. A. Swenson will rebuild and plans are being drawn for the new structure.
Lake Placid News, July 20, 1917
The large fleet of power boats on Upper Saranac Lake has been augmented by the launching of a mahogany boat for S. A. Swenson of New York. Mr. Swenson has erected a new portable house pending the reconstruction of Camp Arokortu. A new highway is being built into the Swenson Park.
The Tupper Lake Herald, July 8, 1921
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth McMillan and children, Mrs. Addie McCann and Mr. Read of Ottawa motored here Sunday and spent the Fourth with Mike Leonard at the Swenson Camp on the Upper Saranac.
Comments
Footnotes
1. New York Times, August 2, 1903, "Saranac Inn Incidents"
