90 Bloomingdale Avenue, Historic Image 
40 and 38 Cantwell Way from Bloomingdale Avenue Old Military Estates, also known as Cantwell Estates, is a small housing development on a sloping parcel of about five acres of land on Cantwell Way across Bloomingdale Avenue from the Pine Street bridge; it was once owned by Francis B. Cantwell. It is bounded by Bloomingdale Avenue, private property, an extension of Old Military Road and Grove Street.
The four houses on the Southwest side of Cantwell WayIn May 1907, the Saranac Lake Industrial Settlement was established there, on leased land, as an experiment to enable recovering tuberculosis patients to earn a living. As a south-facing slope of the shoulder of Mt. Pisgah, it has excellent solar exposure, ideal for gardening. In 1907 a very successful truck garden grew there and chickens were raised, all for sale at market prices. 1 Near the end of the 20th century, the property was owned by Earl Arnold, who rented many apartments in the dozen or so houses located on private drives within the parcel. After his death, his son Bruce subdivided the property and sold the houses separately.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, April 4, 1963
Old Military Estates Sold to the Arnolds
The property known as the Old Military Estate located between Old Military Road and Bloomingdale Avenue in the Village of Saranac Lake, Town of St. Armand, County of Essex has been sold by Francis Barry Cantwell to Earl A. Arnold and Ruth L. Arnold.
This property was purchased by Mr. Cantwell in 1920 and developed by him, and the late Mrs. Cantwell into a private residential estate.
The sale was made through the office of Clinton J. Ayres, Inc., Brokers, by Victor Kenyon, realtor. Thomas Barry Cantwell was attorney for the seller, and James E. LaPan was attorney for the purchasers.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, September 18, 1999
ARNOLD PROPERTIES CLOSE OUT SALE: Everything left at Old Military Estates, used appliances, interior doors, plumbing & elect, supplies, also clothes, & household items, toys.
Barry Cantwell remembers being told stories about a cannon from the War of 1812 up on the property on the Old Military Estates. He said they fired the cannon off on the 4th of July and other holidays. Legend has it that the cannon fire accidentally struck a cow across the Saranac River at Carpenter's fields. As recalled to Historic Saranac Lake staff in September, 2023.
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Footnotes
1. "The Garden of the Saranac Lake Industrial Settlement," by William E. D. Scott, published in Charities and The Commons, December 7, no year given, but likely 1907 or 1908. Pages 1175-1182 can be found in the Adirondack Collection of the Saranac Lake Free Library, filed as S24373 pam.
