Haunted Adirondacks

by Dennis Webster

Often shrouded in an eerie mist, the Adirondack Mountains are a perfect backdrop to the mysterious and the haunted. Troubled spirits of former patients roam the campus of the historic Dr. Trudeau Tuberculosis Sanitorium just outside Sarnac Lake. The ghost of Grace Brown, tragically murdered by her lover in 1906, drifts over the waters of Big Moose Lake. A long-deceased runaway slave remains a guest at the Stagecoach Inn in Lake Placid. The Sagamore Resort on an island in Lake George has been welcoming vacationers since 1883, and many have never left. Held captive in a remote mansion by her husband until her death, Mary Rhinelander still wanders the burned-out ruins of her earthly confinement. Writer and paranormal investigator Dennis Webster highlights the scariest haunts the Adirondacks can offer.

128 pages, Paperback

Published September 13, 2021

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited for this book… and hate to not support a local author, but this is not as the description reads. I had hoped for some interesting, spooky local history, but the majority of the book is about paranormal investigators and the various phenomena they experience at these sites. Unless you’re deep into that world of ghost hunting (e.g like seeing a homunculus or ectoplasm?), you probably won’t care about any of it. Giving 2 stars for the tidbits of history.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Adirondack native living far from home I was really excited when I found this in our local used bookstore. I read it today in one go. There’s just something about seeing and reading about places I know intimately, makes me feel a little closer to home. That aside, I’ve personally investigated and led tours at several of these places myself, so I find that to be a cool aspect as well. I’ve also visited a number of these places during the (many) years before my interest in the paranormal began. If you like the paranormal, local history, and have an intimate fondness for the ADKs, this book is for you.

Edit to add: I read some other reviews citing that they rated the book lower because he included details related to him from several paranormal investigative teams that had investigated some of the locations. I have no issues with this.

Others stated that they felt the author drew too much on the investigative team accounts, and let the local history fall by the wayside a bit. I strongly disagree. I will say that towards the end of the book the places listed had much shorter descriptions, no photos, and little info. More like mentions and blurbs. However the majority of the book is full of photos, info, and history.

I applaud the author for putting in the effort to gain info and accounts from all available sources. He went the extra mile, in my opinion. Whether you believe the accounts or any of the first hand experiences in this book doesn’t actually matter, I see it as merely a collection of history, information, and stories about reportedly haunted locations. Nothing more was promised and nothing less was delivered. If you’re interested in reading this, don’t let the oddly low reviews put you off. It’s an interesting read any way you cut it. Give it a go!

[Smith Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book can sometimes slip into shameless self-promotion of the author's own ghost hunting prowess, or focus too heavily on results of hunts he's conducted with local paranormal groups. Overall, though, it's a pretty nice overview of haunted sites in the region.

[Mark Alden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up on a recent visit to Lake Placid. The history behind some of these places is just as interesting as the haunts. A fun and interesting read.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bought this book for my husband thinking it would offer great info on some of the haunted locations. Overall, it wasn't as good as I hoped.