SARANAC LAKE – The state Department of Environmental Conservation has a history of acquiring old great camps. Some of those go on to be sold back into private hands. Others, such as Debar Lodge in Duane, largely fall into disrepair. Some are later restored, like Camp Santanoni in Newcomb, others are not – yet, at least.

One such mansion that has fallen into disrepair is also one of the most visible and recognizable great camps in the northern Adirondacks: Camp Colby.

Each and every summer since 1963, there has been hustle and bustle at Camp Colby as the DEC operates a summer outdoors educational camp for children on the property which sits on 110 acres on the north shore of Lake Colby.

Camp Colby was named Camp Intermission when it was built in the early 1900s by William Morris. He was the founder of the William Morris Agency, which did and still does represent some of the most famous actors, actresses and musicians in the world.

Camp Intermission is a great camp in every sense of the phrase. It is a massive building, with a double-digit number of bedrooms and servants’ quarters as well. There are numerous fireplaces throughout the house, and large stone chimneys rise above the roof at each end.

Those chimneys no longer have curls of smoke coming from them, though; instead they have sprouted small trees and other plants.

The DEC has used the mansion as a conference center in the past, but indications are that it is unlikely to be used for anything productive again. Department officials couldn’t be reached for comment for this story.

Morris originally came to the area for his health in 1902, and eventually he and his wife Emma spent most of their time in Saranac Lake before his death in 1932.

Prior to his death at a pinochle game, Morris had apparently cheated death in multiple instances. Diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1902, he took Dr. E.L. Trudeau’s cure in the Adirondacks and recovered. Also, Historic Saranac Lake says Morris was slated to be on the Lusitania and Titanic ocean liners, but missed both fatal trips.

After surviving the bout with tuberculosis, Morris decided to build the great camp as a respite, not only for his own family but also for the stars of the stage and screen that he worked with. The large stone entrance gates sport Greek theater masks set into the stone, classical symbols of the stage. The smiling face on one side and frowning face on the other represent the range of emotions actors portray.

Morris’ agency represented some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Al Jolson, Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and Mae West. The agency is now known as William Morris Endeavor, due to a 2009 merger with Endeavor Talent Agency, and is the largest talent agency in the world. It represents acts such as Justin Timberlake, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

William and Emma Morris became staples of the Saranac Lake community and used the star power at their hands to raise money for various projects around Saranac Lake, including opening a day nursery at the site of the current Adirondack Carousel – now named William Morris Park – and hosting an annual July 4 fundraiser. Morris raised money for the construction of both St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and First United Methodist Church.

The DEC bought the property in 1961 and opened it as a co-educational camp two years later. At the time, it was one of just three state-run environmental summer camps. The state now runs four: Camp Colby, Pack Forest in the southern Adirondacks, DeBruce in the Catskills and Rushford in Allegany County.

The camps are geared to 11 to 13-year-old boys and girls who have an interest in learning about the great outdoors. The kids are led by college-educated counselors and take part in hikes, canoeing, shooting and target practice, and environmental awareness activities.

The summer camp doesn’t use the mansion. The camp cafeteria, staff housing and offices operate out of one of the old buildings that was part of the great camp compound, and campers sleep in much newer bunk houses.

But each and every day, as the kids wake up in their cabins and go to the cafeteria for breakfast, the mansion that was once a vacation destination to some of the biggest names in show business stands silent and unused.