Winifred S. LaRose

(1917 – 1979)

“Winifred S. LaRose, who died on December 6, 1979, was the very embodiment of the environmentalist – a person whose love of her own native place and whose determination that its beauty would not be spoiled led her to the forefront of the environmental movement, not only in Lake George, but throughout New York State.” ~ Robert F. Hall
Amidst the stately and historic monuments at Lake George’s Battlefield Park you’d find a comparatively simple plaque that reads, “In memory of Winifred S. LaRose, historian and conservationist, in recognition of her dedication and leadership. Lake George Historical Association, August 21, 1980.”
New York Governor Hugh Carey proclaimed August 21 as Winnie LaRose Day, further acknowledging the incredible impact she had on Lake George and the entire Adirondack Park.
Conservationist and activist Winifred “Winnie” S. LaRose greatly influenced many of the places and comforts we now take for granted.
A plaque in Lake George Battlefield Park recognizes Winnie LaRose's impact as an historian and conservationist.
A plaque in Lake George Battlefield Park recognizes Winnie LaRose's impact as an historian and conservationist.
Winnie LaRose at the 1971 dedication of the Lake George Museum in the old county courthouse, courtesy Tony Hall.
Winnie LaRose at the 1971 dedication of the Lake George Museum in the old county courthouse, courtesy Tony Hall.
As president of the Lake George Historical Society she spearheaded the preservation of the Warren County Court House as a historical museum, saving it from demolition. Lake George Battlefield Park was completed under her forceful direction.
She supported the creation of the Adirondack Park Agency, and helped to steer the creation of the Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy alongside conservationist Paul Schaefer. She was appointed to advisory councils and commissions, and acknowledged for her efforts by the New York State Conservation Council, Lake George Business and Professional Women’s Club, and Lake George Rotary.
In addition to her political and conservation activism, Winnie also put her money where her mouth was, purchasing and holding land for conservation purposes. She purchased one such property, 130 acres in the uplands of Bolton, at a Warren County tax sale in 1963 and donated it to the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY Albany) in 1971. SUNY Albany subsequently sold the property to the Lake George Land Conservancy in 2016. In 2022, the LGLC purchased an adjoining 10 acres to expand the protection of the land’s wetlands and streams.
We think Winnie would be proud to know that her investment is now permanently protected and serving as it should be – a natural water filter and important habitat resource for Lake George.
Read More: Winnie LaRose: An Informal Tribute, written by Robert F. Hall, republished in his 1992 collection of essays, “Pages from Adirondack History,” and shared by the New York Adirondack, March 30, 2014.
@hikelakegeorge
@lglc_stewardship

FOLLOW ON IG
About Us

Protecting the land that protects the lake since 1988. The Lake George Land Conservancy is an accredited not-for-profit land trust dedicated to working with willing landowners and other partners to protect the world-renowned water quality of Lake George and to permanently preserve the natural, scenic, historical and recreational resources of the Lake George Region.

Latest News

Upcoming Events

View Calendar