1908 USGS Loon Lake quadrant Plumadore Pond is a 110-acre pond in the Sable Highlands, four miles south of Mountain View, about a mile west of the old Delaware and Hudson railroad tracks (now D&H Road) in Franklin County, and one mile north of Plumadore Station on the former railroad.
Four thousand acres of land around the pond has been leased by the Plumadore Club since the 1930s. The club has 20 to 30 members; State Senator Ron Stafford was a member in 1978.
Franklin Gazette, October 3, 1879
We were recently shown some very fine views taken by FAY & GOODELL, of this village, of the HARPER party of New York city, at Plumadore Pond. They were the best views of the kind we have ever seen, and reflect great credit upon the ability of the artists.
Malone Palladium, March 10, 1887
…Leaving Loon Lake, at an altitude of 1,800 feet, the [rail]road runs through a dense forest and on a sharp descent, four and a half miles to Plumadore Pond Station, located some three-quarters of a mile or more east of Plumadore. Thence it is two miles to Wolf Pond and the crossing of Salmon River. This is at an altitude of 1,600 feet, about 50 feet higher than State Dam and Ringville. From this station it is six miles to Ragged Lake, the same to State Dam, and twenty miles to Malone, being the nearest point to the last named place. The land from Wolf Pond to the north end of the Ringville plateau is almost a dead level and very favorable for railroad building. From Ringville to Malone, some nine miles, the grade would be quite heavy, but by keeping on the hills it could be made gradual and not exceed at any point the maximum allowed on the line already constructed...
Plattsburgh Sentinel, August 25, 1893
Malone Palladium, March 10, 1887
An old flint-lock musket—date 1812— found by Geo. Bully at Plumadore Pond last week is on exhibition at Larkin's drugstore.
Plattsburgh Daily Press, June 16, 1897
Seven Big Trout Taken From Plumadore Pond.
One of the most successful catches of brook trout, of this or any other season, was that of Messrs. T. F. Conway, C. E. Johnson and E J. Pickett. The forty-seven beauties captured were taken since Saturday from Plumadore Pond, which is the property of Mr. Pickett. The shores of this beautiful body of water are covered with virgin forest. The size of the trout caught by Mr. Pickett's guests on this occasion is evidence that the pond is not “fished to death.” Mr. Johnson had the pleasure of taking in a 20-inch trout which weighed dressed 2 3/4 pounds. The average length of the others was from 12 to 15 inches. and were caught with the fly, everything else having failed.
Forest and Stream, October 6, 1900
Gens des Bois.
VIII. —Plumadore.
PLUMADORE POND is a beautiful lake near the northern limits of the Adirondack forest. It was once in the heart of a famous hunting country, and though today approached by the ruthless clearings of the Chateaugay Iron. & Ore Company, who are converting the timber from a principality thirty-seven miles long and five or six miles wide into charcoal and pulp, and though it is only a question of a few years when the Canuck netters and coasters will have potted the last of its trout and deer, the pond has a claim for recognition for all time as the sole monument of the noble old Indian who gave it his name.
This man, who was born about the close of the Revolutionary War, lived to he a hundred years of age, and in the pioneer days of the Adirondacks was one of its best known characters. At the present time his old associates are all dead. and there are few living who remember Plumadore, even in his final retirement on his little hop farm on Deer River.
[The remainder of this rather long piece by "J.B. Burnham" is here.]
Malone Farmer, May 20, 1903
A big fire has been raging along the Hatch brook in Franklin from Ed Rivers, near the Duane line, south as far as Duck Pond and East to Plumadore Pond. Much of that territory was recently lumbered by Warren Walker and all it needed to entirely destroy that once delightful stretch of forest land was the fire which has now desolated it.
Malone Farmer, March 16, 1904
The plan of the Delaware & Hudson R R. in throwing open some of its choicest Adirondack holdings to the public at a nominal price contemplates the surveying off into lots of suitable size its land on the shores of Chazy Lake, Upper Chateaugay Lake, Loon lake, Twin Ponds, Wolf Pond, Plumadore Pond, Ragged Lake and a score of smaller and less important ponds and the selling of a lot to any bona fide purchaser who will erect thereon within a year a suitable camp or cottage—costing say $1,000. Probably not more than one lot will be sold to any one person and the company will reserve every third lot. The Chateaugay Ore & Iron company, recently acquired by the Delaware & Hudson, owns more than one hundred thousand acres of Adirondack land.
Malone Farmer, April 17, 1907
The project for a game preserve at Plumadore Pond is proving a very popular one with the Plattsburgh Rod and Gun Club and 40 new members were admitted to the club last week. The camp at Plumadore will be renovated and put in excellent condition and meals will be served and lodging provided for those making use of it. Five new boats have been ordered and the pond will be stocked with 20,000 fingerlings and fry as soon as the ice goes out. Lockers will be built so that the members can leave their effects at the camp.
Norwood News, May 19, 1908
FISHERMAN DROWNED IN PLUMADORE POND
Enos Perry, of Lyon Mountain, Capsized Boat and Died of Exhaustion.
MALONE, May 1. — Enos Perry, of Lyon Mountain, was drowned yesterday afternoon. He and his son went fishing over to Plumadore pond, five or six miles from Loon Lake. After they had been out for a while they were joined by Ameda Benware, of Owls Head, who invited Perry to come and get into his boat, which he did. After a while Benware's boat capsized and both men were plunged in the icy water, but they got a good grasp on the boat and Benware cried lustily for help. Earl Bartlett, caretaker for the property of the Plattsburg Gun Club, heard their cries and went in a small boat to their aid. Benware climbed into the small boat and Bartlett headed for the shore, towing Perry in the water behind the boat. When they were within a few feet of shore, Perry collapsed and died instantly, having been overcome by the cold water and exhaustion. Coroner Dr. Oliver, of Malone, was at once notified and went to the scene and decided that Perry died from exposure and exhaustion. Perry was 54 years old and leaves a wife and twelve children.
Plattsburgh Republican, August 7, 1909
ROD AND GUN CLUB CHANGE
Summer Headquarters shifted from Plumadore to Chazy Lake
The local Rod and Gun Club has deserted Plumadore pond for a summer headquarters this year in favor of Chazy lake. It was not because they do not love Plumadore just as much as ever but because they could not make satisfactory terms with the Deleware and Hudson company, the owners of the property where the camp has been previously located.
At Plumadore the club used a former lumber camp which was overhauled by the railroad company when the late President McKinley visited this section. It was intended to lure the president into the woods and give him a taste of real camp life. Mr. McKlnley was, however, too well satisfied with camp life as he found it at the Hotel Champlain and refused to be moved.
Later the Rod and Gun club conceived the idea of leasing the camp for each summer season for the benefit of its members. This they did. They kept a man and his wife on the job during the season and any member of the club was permitted to visit the camp as often as he liked. There were accommodations for about fifteen or twenty at a time. The camp was located in the real woods and was unique and attractive. The club's occupation of the camp put several hundred dollars a year into the coffers of the railroad company as a result of railroad fares but that did not seem to weigh when the matter of lease came up. The members of the club thought the railroad company wanted too much and the camp was abandoned this season.
Instead of going to Plumadore the club made an arrangement with George S. Badger of the Lake View House on Chazy Lake. Mr. Badger has fitted up a bungalow which is reserved for the club members…
Malone Farmer, October 31, 1917
Elmer M. Merrill, of Saranac Lake, has purchased the E. J. Pickett property at Plumadore Pond, situated near the Plumadore station on the Delaware & Hudson R. R. The pond has been famous for many years because of its large speckled trout. Mr. Merrill's purchase is situated on the western side of the pond and consists of 42 acres of land, a two-story cottage and boat house.
Malone Farmer, April 11, 1923
. . . This year, as soon as the frost is out of the ground approximately 1,100,000 Scotch pine and Norway spruce trees will be planted near Plumadore by over 100 men who will be in camp at Plumadore station. The planting will occupy about six weeks. The success of the enterprise is clearly shown by the beautiful young forests at Middle Kilns and Wolf Pond, set out in 1910 and 1911, which have now reached a height of over 20 feet, and have completely changed the face of the landscape laid waste by the destructive forest fires of 19O8.
Lake Placid News, August 15, 1924
EXPENSIVE FISHING AT PLUMADORE POND
For Taking Trout Illegally Four Men Paid The State $350
Four men for taking trout illegally from Plumadore pond paid the state $350, three paying fines of $100 each, and the fourth $50.
There had been many complaints of illegal fishing at Plumadore and Game Protector Benoit was assigned to break up the practice. With a companion who had a boat on the pond he went there on a two days' fishing trip. On the afternoon of the second day three men drove up in a car and wanted to know what luck he had fishing and said he was going home. One of the men showed him five trout all below the legal size and said he would show him how to catch fish. Two of the party proceeded to unload some bags of nets from the car while the third started to get supper. Protector Benoit offered to contribute his six trout and took in exchange the undersized fish that the three men had caught.
With the little trout in their possession the Protector and his companion got into their boat as if to resume fishing and worked out toward the two men who had gone out with the nets. Seizing the boat and the nets, they were returning to the shore. The man who was cooking the protector's fish called out that he had made a fine trade. One of the men in the boat Under arrest replied, “Yes you made some trade, but before you get done with it, you will pay dear for your fish.”
On the way back to Malone, Benoit overtook another fisherman who had thirty short trout and further along picked up a man with a dog that was not licensed. When taken before the justice of the peace all pleaded guilty and the three who had the nets paid $100 each, the fisherman with the short trout $50, and the man with the unlicensed dog $12.50.
Malone Farmer, August 05, 1925
LOST ADIRONDACK LEAD MINE
Cass Hoose Says It Was Found Near Plumadore Pond.
Recently we referred to the lost lead mine in the Owls Head Country which Plumadore, the old Indian who first roamed that section knew about. It has always been said that with Plumadore's death all knowledge of the mine was lost to the world. This, however, seems like many similar legends to be a fable.
When Cass Hoose, of Duane, was a boy he and his brother, 12 and 14 years of age resided on the old Hatch Place on the Loon Lake-Duane road, where their father conducted a hotel and saw mill. A man named Davis, an old miner, who had heard of the lead deposit, came there with instruments for locating mines and took the Hoose boys with him on an expedition of discovery. They ran a line straight east from the Hatch place till they reached a hill near Plumadore Pond where there were indications of the sought-for deposit. They tunneled into the hill a good many feet, sustaining the shaft with balsam and spruce timbers and came upon thin slivers of lead but found no vein. Davis was taken ill and went away and nothing more was ever done.
Mr. Hoose knew the old Indian, Plumadore, and afterwards talked with him about it. The Indian said that, after discovering Plumadore Pond, which was named for him and from which he and his tribesmen drove the wolves away by beating on tin pans, they dug a well on top of the hill there and found lead enough to mold into bullets. Mr. Hoose remembers seeing this hole when they were tunneling there. Two years ago he and his son went over there and found the remains of the old tunnel. Mr. Hoose is satisfied that lead exists there, but not enough, he thinks, to be worth mining.
Plattsburgh Press-Republican, February 27, 1954
Matt Lucy, Railroader Since 1917, Looks Ahead
. . . Matt recalled some tough winter-time trips "up the branch" on snow plows. He mentioned one occasion when there was so much snow that the engine and plow became stalled on the Loon Lake run and remained stalled for 36 hours. He described cold trips on motor cars on the Lake Placid Run. He reminisced about some interesting races that D&H and New York Central crews had on the stretch of their respective railroads between Plumadore and Loon Lake Station. Matt has been a member of the railroad's safety committee since 1925.
. . . Matt likes to hunt and fish. Wolf Pond and Plumadore sectors have been his favorite stamping grounds for years. "I like that country so much that I bought the old Plumadore station as a souvenir," he went on "Yep got it from the New York Central in 1946, moved It to Wolf Pond and used it as a hunting camp."
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