Summer vacation is almost here! Are you planning any trips? Paul Smith’s Hotel was a major destination for summering in the area from 1859 to the 1930s. The hotel started as a rustic retreat for wealthy male “sports,” but eventually grew to be one of the most fashionable accommodations in the Adirondacks. This photograph shows the hotel at its peak in the 1910s when it had 255 rooms, with a boathouse with quarters for 60 guides, stables, casino, bowling alley and a wire to the New York Stock Exchange. The advent of the motor car meant that more people could make the trip up to the Adirondacks, but the hotel was also eventually served by its own private electric train from Lake Clear. Happy trails! (Photo provided — Historic Saranac Lake Collection, 2022.17.4.4. Gift of Suzanne Rice.)