Lake Girl Toiles
A public history project examining the women who come to Hague and fall in love with the lake.
This project was made possible through a generous grant from LARAC, the Lower Adirnondack Regional Arts Council, www.larac.org!
What are the main ingredients of a toile design? Several central scenes, often with leafy trees that offer a lightness to the design. Vines and foliage and plants are often used to connect the central scenes or fill in the white spaces. These elements are usually brown, red, blue, or occasionally black.
Another example of classic toile. The background color is usually creme or tan, but I've seen some stellar patterns in blue, orange, yellow, and grey.
Modern toile has been in vogue since about 2006 when several artists began revisiting the style and updating it. Notable examples feature UFOs or muggings in a London park.
What are the main ingredients of a toile design? Several central scenes, often with leafy trees that offer a lightness to the design. Vines and foliage and plants are often used to connect the central scenes or fill in the white spaces. These elements are usually brown, red, blue, or occasionally black.
She bought a farmhouse from the Newtons. It was called Oak Camp, but is also referred to in deeds and Elizabeth’s will as Camp Levi. She renovated it and added a round porch—it’s the Stouts house today. She cleverly hung bright orange cheesecloth on the walls and ceiling. She sold it to NY City pal, General Saltzman.
Waterlogged (Tobeys) also has a semicircular porch. Elizabeth bought part of that property next door for a studio. On the Tobey lot, she built a house she called Waterlogged. It was left in her will to Morton Nichols, who sold it to Amil (Hemberger) Hembrook in 1923. The Tobeys kept the stonework but had to demolish the wet wood.
In 1907, Elizabeth Watous bought Rock and Rye, the only Watrous property not on 9N. It was built in 1800s as a grist mill and used by Elizabeth for special events, including costume parties and weddings for staff. In 1916, Elizabeth transferred the property to Harry for reasons unknown. But in her will she left it to her brother Erickson.
She bought a farmhouse from the Newtons. It was called Oak Camp, but is also referred to in deeds and Elizabeth’s will as Camp Levi. She renovated it and added a round porch—it’s the Stouts house today. She cleverly hung bright orange cheesecloth on the walls and ceiling. She sold it to NY City pal, General Saltzman.
John L. Jenkins was best know as a lumberman. He had one big job near Springhill Pond, another near Dark Bay across Lake George. (From the notes of Clifton West.) He owned and operated a carriage company, which also include the operation of a stage coach line between Hague and Ticonderoga. He owned and operated a local meat market and grocery store. He also held several local elected positions, including Town Superintendent.
Lily Fitzgerald (1875-?) had 11 kids, owned a bakery located across the brook from Steitzes that supplied the hotels with baked goods like deserts, and may have run the telegraph office.
Purchased by Jim and Sally (DeLarm) Rypkema in 2008, the New Hague Market is a revitalized local market, the longest running one in the Adirondacks.
John L. Jenkins was best know as a lumberman. He had one big job near Springhill Pond, another near Dark Bay across Lake George. (From the notes of Clifton West.) He owned and operated a carriage company, which also include the operation of a stage coach line between Hague and Ticonderoga. He owned and operated a local meat market and grocery store. He also held several local elected positions, including Town Superintendent.
What is toile?
From Traditional Home magazine: "The French patterned cotton fabric known as toile de Jouy got its start in 1760 at a textile factory in the village of Jouy-en-Josas, southwest of Paris near Versailles. Toile has a distinct look, even though it is available in a range of colors and patterns. The original 1760s patterns usually depicted pastoral scenes of the French countryside. Then more exotic Chinese themes became popular, as did famous moments from history. All were hand-drawn in a curvaceous style with fine detail that was then etched onto wood blocks and printed onto the fabric."
www.traditionalhome.com/design/decorating-ideas-toile-fabric?page=26
The First Lake Girl
Elizabeth Snowden Nichols Watrous, wife of Harry, was well known around Hague as a great, gracious, and clever hostess and a kind “aunt” to the town’s children. She was also an ardent preservationist for Fort Ti and a land owner of some extent.
She was very clever at thinking up themes for her endless parties. According to The New York Times in 1902, “Mrs. Watrous of NY recently gave a unique entertainment at her cottage, Camp In. It took the form of an exhibition of farm produce arranged in fantastic forms.”
The Second Lake Girl
The "second lake girl" is actually three: The DeLarm sisters. Susan, Sally, and Sheri can trace their Hague roots back tk generations, to the Jenkins and Fitzgeralds. Their family tree shows many generations of local business owners, from lumberman and postmistresses to waitresses at summer hotels to dairy and campground owners to market proprieters and restaurant owners. Making a living in small towns in the Adirondacks is not easy.