ADK Talks
ADK Talks brings you the stories behind the people, places, and things to do in the Adirondack Park of New York State. With 6 million acres, the Adirondacks are the ultimate playground.
We take you beyond the guidebooks and into the heart of one of America's most breathtaking regions. Just like we do on our website, adktaste.com, our podcast uncovers the hidden gems of the Adirondacks, offering hand-picked recommendations for the best places to stay, eat, shop and do in the Adirondack Park.
But this isn't just about places. It's about the people who make the Adirondacks so special and unique. In each episode, we talk to people from all walks of life—restauranteurs, farmers, innkeepers, historians, artists, local leaders, writers, hikers, and more. Hear real stories about what they do, their passions, and how they found their way here.
And they'll share their insider tips on the best things to see and do in the Adirondacks – insights you won't find anywhere else.
So subscribe now to ADK Talks to get real stories from real people, sharing the real Adirondacks.
You can also visit us online at adktaste.com.
ADK Talks
More Tales of Ghosts and Spirits in the Adirondacks
From deep, cold-water mysteries in Lake Placid to candlelit marches at Fort William Henry, this Halloween-season episode serves up more true (and truly fun) tales of Adirondack ghosts, legends, and oddities. Jane leans into lore, Steve brings the “Acker facts,” and together they map a spine-tingling route you can actually visit—if you dare.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
- The Lady of the Lake (Lake Placid): The 1933 disappearance of educator Mabel Smith Douglas, the startling discovery near Pulpit Rock decades later, and why dusk paddles still give locals the shivers.
- Plus, other Lake Placid haunts—from the Stagecoach Inn to footsteps after hours at the Palace Theatre.
- Ghost town in the woods (Tahawus/Adirondack): Foundations, whispers, and a brush with presidential history; why silence in the High Peaks can be the scariest sound of all.
- Five-star frights (The Sagamore, Lake George): Rebuilt after catastrophic fires and still rumored to host a woman in green, “Walter,” and a mischievous golf-course kid who nabs your balls.
- Candlelight chills (Fort William Henry): From French & Indian War trauma to today’s haunted tours—marching boots, phantom gunpowder, and why archaeologists’ finds still raise hairs.
- Champ of Lake Champlain: Nessie’s American cousin, the famed 1977 Mansi photo, and the fun fact that Vermont (and New York) moved to protect him—just in case.
- A kinder haunting (Santa’s Workshop, Wilmington): Arto Monaco’s playful spirit, tinkering toys, and music boxes that play when no one’s around.
- Bonus bite (Spanky’s Diner, Massena): A jukebox with free will and a phantom waitress with bottomless refills.
If you loved this haunted ramble, subscribe, drop a rating/review, and swing by ADKtaste.com for more stories, food, folklore, and events from across the Park.
Links & Mentions:
- Stagecoach Inn (Lake Placid); Palace Theatre (Lake Placid)
- Pulpit Rock, Lake Placid (Mabel Smith Douglas)
- Adirondack Experience: The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (mining history)
- The Sagamore Resort (Bolton Landing, Lake George)
- Fort William Henry Museum & Haunted Tours
- Lake George Battlefield Park
- New York’s Haunted History Trail
- Santa’s Workshop (Wilmington)
- Champ (Lake Champlain)
- The Mansi Photo (1977)
- Spanky’s Diner (Massena)
Produced by NOVA