The opening line of the Brown Swan Club’s 1917 brochure brags that “the one outstanding characteristic of life at the Club is rest.” All these years later, now that the old club’s back as The Lodge at Schroon Lake, there’s still a peaceful vibe. Vacationers can once again linger on the lodge porch and, through a cathedral of sky-high trees, take in the mountains and lovely Schroon Lake. But they can also take out the resort’s kayaks, paddleboards or pontoon boats; play pickleball or mini-golf; or roast marshmallows at the fire pit.
The Swan has morphed through time, first as a handful of clapboard cottages built for Warrensburg businessman
Photograph by Nancie Battaglia
Phillip E. Rice, then from the 1950s until a few years ago as a retreat center for Word of Life Fellowship, Inc. Spring City Development, of Saratoga Springs, bought the property and set about returning it to a Schroon Lake getaway. Today it’s an all-season woodsy oasis on a 34-acre campus—ideal for wedding parties or other gatherings—with guest rooms in the main lodge, plus cabins, glamping sites and more modern chalets. There’s a restaurant in the club’s original headquarters that’s open to the public, and guests can gather at the Bevy, a sprawling lounge in the new lodge. In the works is a ballroom, with a grand stone fireplace and rustic-style details. The resort’s beach and marina are across Route 9, and quaint downtown Schroon is just a stroll away.
“We’re trying to maintain the integrity of this property,” says The Lodge’s marketing director Jennifer McVay. “It had a lifeblood before and it’s important to pay homage to that.” She also says that when she was first offered a job here she was told, “It’ll be like Dirty Dancing,” with staff accommodations on campus. “I said, ‘Oh, I’m in!’”
IF YOU GO
Find The Lodge at Schroon Lake at 210 Registration Way, in Schroon. Learn more about the resort at www.lodgeatschroonlake.com or by calling (518) 987-0708.
Explore the early days of the Brown Swan Club at the Warren County New York Historical Society (www.wcnyhs.org, 518-743-0734).
