The town of St. Armand is in the northwestern corner of Essex County north of Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. The town contains the northeastern part of Saranac Lake and these hamlets: Bloomingdale, Franklin Falls and Trudeau. The town of St. Armand encompasses 56.5 square miles and includes a northern part of the village of Saranac Lake and part of Lake Placid.

The town was first settled in 1829 in the area currently known as Franklin Falls, which was known as McLenathon Falls. The town was set off from the town of Wilmington in 1844. In 1851 there was an area that was established with a post office, hotel with a stagecoach stop, a school and many new homes. The hamlet of Bloomingdale had been established in the late 1840s and was officially named Bloomingdale in 1852 by local citizens.

Timber was the biggest commercial enterprise at that time, and C.P. Norton owned much of the land. In 1912 Paul Smith built a hydroelectric plant at Franklin Falls. This plant remains in place today and is currently used as a relay station.

Trudeau Sanatorium was a facility established by Dr. Trudeau to cure patients of tuberculosis. It was purchased in 1884 for $400. Many of the original structures still stand on the property. It now houses the American Management Association and is in the northern part of the village of Saranac Lake.

The first school was built in 1840, and the first teacher, Harriet Hayes, taught children of all ages. The current school, Bloomingdale Elementary (kindergarten through fifth grade), is a bright and beautiful addition to the town. The playground is a popular spot for games and sliding.

Between 1861 and 1898, St. Armand had many volunteers for the Civil and Spanish wars, sending the most volunteers per capita in all of Essex County. Capt. James Pierce was one of these volunteers, and he was supervisor for the town of St. Armand for many years.

By 1906, Bloomingdale was a growing village with many stores, hotels and homes. In 1914 many men volunteered to fight in World War I. Following this war, many new settlers came to this area and Bloomingdale continued to grow and prosper.

During the 1930s, Route 3 was built as well as infrastructure and a wastewater treatment plant.

During the 1950s, many businesses were sold or closed, and Bloomingdale became a more residential area. St. Armand has become more of a bedroom community for the larger towns of Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Plattsburgh and Malone.

Bloomingdale continues to accommodate several small businesses, including Norman’s Store (1699 Route 3) (Editor’s note: The store was recently closed.), River Road Bait & Tackle (12 River Road), the Bloomin’ Market (1719 Route 3), Specialty Wood Products (14 Mill St.), Teddy’s Ice Cream (1663 Route 3), and the Four Corners Diner (1692 Route 3), just to mention a few.

There is a wayside exhibit entitled “Patriots of St. Armand” in Veterans Memorial Park adjacent to the town hall.

The town hall has a library section made possible by the Saranac Lake Free Library. Stop by during business hours to borrow a book or two.

The beauty of St. Armand is boundless. Great locations to visit for hiking, boating, hunting and fishing include Moose Pond, River Road, the Bloomingdale Bog Trail and Franklin Falls.

Please visit www.townofstarmand.com for more information.

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This is an excerpt from the book, “The Adirondack 102 Club: Your Passport & Guide to the North Country,” written by local residents to encourage people to visit the 102 towns and villages in the Adirondacks. The 8.5-inch-by-11-inch hardcover book contains 216 pages and more than 100 illustrations, maps and photos, and was edited by Marty Podskoch. The price is $20 and is available in these stores: Moose Maple Books & More, Saranac Lake; Trading Post at Fish Creek; Pack Basket Diner, 781 Route 86, Gabriels; Moody Tree Farm, 60 county Route 55, Saranac Lake; Bookstore Plus, Lake Placid; or 860-267-2442, podskoch@comcast.net, www.adirondack102club.com, or by mail at Podskoch Press, 43 O’Neill Lane, East Hampton, CT 06424,