In a way, Saranac Lake, N.Y., reflected its history for years — just not in a way this tight-knit community of approximately 3,500 residents would like. A center of tuberculosis care in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, patients from around the world once flocked to the village to take in the clean mountain air and to recuperate on “cure porches.” But the advent of antibiotics ended the scourge of tuberculosis, and with that, the once vibrant village began a downward slide that was further exacerbated when neighboring Lake Placid hosted the 1980 Winter Olympics.
But Saranac Lake is on the rise, emboldened by the reopening of historic Hotel Saranac following a three-year, $30 million restoration, and by a lively downtown scene that is transforming it into a destination for foodies and lovers of art and music.