1. What was the original name of Speaker Heck Island and in what year was the name changed?

Answer:   South Island.  It was re-named Speaker Heck in 1968 at the urging of the Lake George                  Association in honor of long-time speaker of the New York State Assembly Oswald Heck.

2. What is the difference in height between Lake George and Lake Champlain?

Answer:  At 320 feet above sea level, Lake George is 224.5 feet higher than Lake Champlain therefore its waters flow into Champlain via the La Chute River.

3. While the numbers are by no means exact, since the late 1800s approximately 50 islands have vanished. Today, according to local tax rolls, 178 islands dot the waters of Lake George.  List the names of at least three missing islands

Answer:   Among the missing are Willow, Manhattan, Ranger, Shoal, Lone Tree and Arrow islands, and one from the Happy Family chain.

4. Which Lake George island did not appear on any tax rolls until 1994?

Answer:   Frank Leonbruno discovered the oversight in 1994 and brought it to the attention of Ticonderoga resident Gordon Burleigh and then-Assemblyman James King.  Actions to have the oversight corrected were then initiated and today Prison Island is on the tax rolls of the town of Ticonderoga.

5. What was the date the rules and regulations banning dogs from all state-owned islands were instituted and who was the DEC Commissioner who promulgated the ban?

Answer:    Between 1957 and 1977 various attempts were made to ban dogs from all state campgrounds. Dogs were ultimately banned from state-owned islands on Lake George on March 24, 1977.  DEC Commissioner Peter Berle had the courage to institute the rules which other commissioners had not. 

6. Who was the first New York State Forest Ranger in charge of the Glen Island headquarters and in what year was he/she appointed?

Answer:    The New York State Conservation Commission (forerunner of DEC) appointed Jay Taylor as the ranger in charge in 1921 to administer about 50 island campsites, most of which were in the Narrows. 

7.  What is the name of the first Lake George Island to have a house constructed on it and what was the name of the residence?

Answer:    In 1864 Rufus Wattles, vice commander of the Mohican Boat Club, constructed a home on Recluse Island which he called The Hermitage.  It was the first residence to be built on a Lake George island.

8. In what year did world-renowned opera star Mme. Marcella Sembrich make her home in Bolton Landing and in what year did her Memorial Studio open to the public?

Answer:   Mme. Marcella Sembrich moved to Bolton Landing in 1921 to make her home, establishing a studio three years later.  The Marcella Sembrich Memorial Studio opened to the public in 1937.

 9. Lake George has had several names over the centuries.  It was labeled Andia-ta-roc-te (the lake that the mountains close in) by the Mohawks, Caniderioit (the tail of the large lake, referring to Lake Champlain) by the Mohicans and in 1642 it was named Lac-du-St. Sacrament by French priest Isaac Jogues.  Who gave Lake George its present name and in what year?

Answer:    Lake George was given its present name in 1755 by General William Johnson in honor of British King George.  Johnson had arrived at the lake’ southern-most point with his army to erect a fort near a stream (now called West Brook) and claimed a British presence in the wilderness.

10. Where is Ganouski Bay located on Lake George?

Answer:   This large expanse of water extends about four miles on the western side of Tongue Mountain.   Northwest Bay, located just north of the hamlet of Bolton Landing was originally called Ganouski Bay. 

11. What year did steam boating arrive on Lake George.   What was the name of the vessel and who was the captain?

Answer:   Steam boating arrive on Lake George with the launching of the “James Caldwell” in 1817 with Captain John Winans at the helm. 

12. When was the Steel Pier built in Lake George Village and who was the contractor?

Answer:   The Steel Pier in Lake George Village was built during the winter of 1954 by local contractor Delbert Hammond.

13. How many Lake George islands do not have names?

Answer:   Forty-four Lake George Islands remain un-named. 

14. Just west of Reid’s Rock is a broad point of land that juts into Sampson Bay.  What is that area called today?

Answer:   The area, on the western shore is called Diamond Point today.

15. What is the Forward and where is it located?

Answer:   The Forward is an underwater classroom open to scuba diving from Memorial Day Weekend into the autumn.  It is located southeast of Diamond Island.

16. Where are the Falls of Carillion located?

Answer:   There are many tributaries which drain into Lake George.  Only one drains out. The Falls of Carillion are located on the La Chute River, a tiny stream that runs only some two miles from the outlet of Lake George, through the Village of Ticonderoga to Lake Champlain.

17. Hague separated from the Town of Bolton on what date?  What was it known as for one year before the name Hague was adopted?

Answer:   Hague separated from Bolton on April 6, 1807.  It was first known as Rochester, a year later the name Hague was adopted.

18. Lake George is classified AA-Special by New York State.  It is drinking water.   Where can you find out what that designation means?

Answer:    For information about NYS surface and groundwater classifications, go to Chapter X, Part 701.3 of the regulations on the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website. There you find the description of AA Special.

19. What was the Huletts Landing area called prior to the 1870’s and in what year did the name change?

Answer:   Huletts Landing was known as Bosom Bay prior to 1874 when Philander Hulett established a steamship landing and mail and supplies for the area were delivered by boat. 

20.  Eight towns surround the lake.  Two of those towns have only one island in their jurisdiction.  Name those two towns.

Answer:    The Town of Lake George has one island, the privately owned Tea Island and the Town of Ticonderoga has one island, the NYS-owned Prison Island.