The Clancy Cottage was a cure cottage on the Bloomingdale Road owned by John Paul Clancy. Most of the 38 patients were Italian. His wife, Lena, was Italian and was able to speak Italian with the patients.
Notes from the Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library:
Clancy Cure Cottages.
Thursday, February 27, 1997
I called John Clancy in Lake Placid to ask him for any background on Clancy Curing Cottage on the Bloomingdale Road. We visited for a while: then he called me back to suggest I call his sister Marie Kirby in Washington, DC. I did this and had a wonderful visit.
I am writing down some of the things told me by both John and Marie and will later check them with her to be certain I did not misunderstand.
The "cottage" was a 27 room house on the Bloomingdale Road -- immediately to the left as you entered the road from Trudeau. Originally the house had a front porch and one that ran to the side. Mrs. Kirby thinks there were dormers. There was a U shaped driveway. The house was three stores.
Another nearby house was owned by Al Bernard. He had a gas station. Where the Gold Mine is located was another gas station owned by Jim Peterson. She believed he was Greek. Both she and her brother Louie worked there pumping gas and later helped serve sandwiches when he served them.
Mrs. Kirby - 2020 F Street, Washington, DC
Patient I met was Jack Cusick. He was a gag writer for Ben Bernie.
There were usually 10 to 12 patients. Mazie Lang was a patient. Not certain of spelling. Dr. Wilson (Dr. George Wilson at Will Rogers?) was her doctor. They later married.
Had a mop sink (low) will great well water. There was a stream of people coming in and out to get the cold clear water. The kitchen door was never locked.
Thinks the cottage there in late 20's and 30's. The Clancys lived there when the Old St. Armand Hotel burned. It was located where the race track is. Mrs. Kirby and John were graduated in 1934. Had lived there for a while then. In 20's when St. Armand Hotel burned.
Jack Cusick was patient there. He was a gag writer for Ben Bernie
John Clancy in Lake Placid
Clancys later moved to Saranac Lake where Mrs. Clancy had a cottage on Bloomingdale Avenue for a while next to Fortune's on the corner
Joe Kafura sp.?? racketeer was a patient on B'dale Road. His mistress Miss May came to visit. The "kids" loved her. She was so good to everyone.
Big porch had cure chairs on it.
