Adirondack Churches

 Church of the Transfiguration, Blue Mountain Lake

 West window, Blue Mountain Lake

 Nave window, Blue Mountain Lake

 Nave, St. Luke's Saranac

 Nave window with loon, Saranac

 South transept window, St. Eustace, Lake Placid 

(with St. Eustace, stag, and ADK landscape)

 Chapel crucifix, Lake Placid

All Soul's Chapel, St Hubert's

As I spent a couple weeks in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York this summer, I visited Episcopal churches and missions in the west-central wilderness area and in the area around Lake Placid and Saranac. Many of them in reflection of their isolated and wild locality displayed characteristics in architecture and scenery associated with the Adirondacks. One, in Blue Mountain Lake, was built of logs and was complete with stained glass windows featuring lily pads, loon and beavers. As I continued viewing more churches I noticed that many of the stained glass windows continued to depict the sweeping Adirondack landscape which, in some cases, was tied in with the more usual ecclesiastical subjects. Often the Virgin Mary could be seen on a green mountainside with a view of a land covered in green hills, lakes and pine trees; I could not help remembering some dutch Altarpieces depicting the crucifixion and behind a landscape complete with Gothic Cathedrals, pinnicled castles, and an assortment of Flemish looking cities. This is similar but with Adirondack elements.