Blue Mountain House Annex (Additional Documentation)
Also known as: The Log Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1876 by early settler and lumberman M. Tyler Merwin, this small log cottage on a knoll above Blue Mountain Lake was one of several cottages put up to house summer guests. It later served as an annex to the Blue Mountain House, part of a cluster of three large hotels that made the lake a fashionable highland resort between 1882 and 1890. When the Adirondack Historical Association acquired the property in 1954, the main hotel was demolished to make way for the Adirondack Museum, and the log annex was kept on its original site as an exhibit called the Log Hotel. The cottage has square-hewn spruce logs with halved corners, a veranda, six-over-six windows and hewn ceiling joists, and two sheds at the rear now hold exhibits. It is the last remnant of the resort and a well-preserved example of Adirondack pioneer log construction.
Significance in brief: It is the only surviving part of one of the earliest and best-known Adirondack resort hotels, having served as an annex to the Blue Mountain House. It is also a well-preserved, typical example of the dwellings built by the first trappers, lumbermen and settlers in the Adirondack wilderness. Its intact, well-maintained condition makes it a relic of the pioneer days at Blue Mountain Lake.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 77000941, listed December 7, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 30, Blue Mountain |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | December 7, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000941 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1876 |
| Architect / builder | M. Tyler Merwin (built 1876) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Kept intact and furnished to simulate its original function on its original site within the Adirondack Museum grounds; the rear outbuildings have been converted to exhibit space. New chinking and a new cedar shingle roof were added in 1974. |
| Acreage | 0.06 |
| Coordinates | 43.85544, -74.43348 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 77000941.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4929520
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.