Celebrating over 130 years of recreation and conservation in New York State's Adirondack Park.
Camp Santanoni, located in Newcomb, New York, was built by the wealthy Pruyn family of Albany, and welcomed its first guests in the spring of 1893. Located in the 13,000-acre Santanoni Preserve, this publicly-owned National Historic Landmark is one of the earliest examples of what is now known as an Adirondack Great Camp.
Visitors to Santanoni today can enjoy much of the same outdoor recreation the Pruyn family did. In addition, much of the historic areas of this retreat are similar to how the Pruyns originally envisioned them, thanks to a long-standing partnership of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the Town of Newcomb, New York and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).
LATEST NEWS
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Want a chance to work at the only publicly owned Adirondack Great Camp? Interested in learning more about digital preservation at the region’s historic preservation nonprofit? Click here to learn more.
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Ski or snowshoe to the Great Camp Santanoni Main Camp for a hot beverage and tour on Jan. 17 and 18, Feb. 14 and 15, and March 14 and 15.
Visit our special events page for more information.
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AARCH was awarded a $28,825 matching grant from the Environmental Protection Fund’s Park and Trail Partnership Grants program to complete a cultural landscape report of the Camp Santanoni Historic Area. AARCH will provide a match of $6,200, including a $5,000 grant from the J.M. McDonald Foundation and privately raised funds, for a total of $36,950.
This Park and Trail Partnership Grant is one of 27 awards totaling $2.25 million for organizations dedicated to the stewardship and promotion of New York’s state parks and historic sites, trails, and public lands. These grants are matched with private and local funding and will support projects to strengthen Friends groups and enhance public access and recreational opportunities.
AARCH serves as the Friends group for Camp Santanoni, a National Historic Landmark located in the Town of Newcomb, New York, working in partnership to preserve, restore, and interpret the camp.
AARCH has selected Martha Lyon Landscape Architecture, LLC of Northampton, Mass., to develop the Cultural Landscape Report for Camp Santanoni. Cultural landscapes reflect the intersection of the natural environment with human interaction, mapping our relationship with the land over time. A cultural landscape report documents the history and current conditions of a landscape and serves as a useful tool for protection and interpretation of the landscape’s character-defining features. When complete, the Santanoni Partners — AARCH, the Town of Newcomb, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation — will be able to use the report to guide long-term management and interpretation of the site’s historical significance.
Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Paul Steely White said, “New Yorkers statewide are experiencing the benefits of restored trails, enhanced visitor centers, and engaging programs that foster a deeper connection with the outdoors. For the past decade, Park and Trail Partnership Grants have been instrumental in making these experiences possible by supporting the dedicated local organizations that steward our public lands. This year’s record-breaking awards will ensure that these vital sites continue to educate, inspire, and warmly welcome all who visit.”
“This Park and Trail Partnership Grant will further AARCH’s work to implement the 2016 Camp Santanoni Unit Management Plan through funding a cultural landscape report, called out as a necessary study to guide the management of the Camp Santanoni Historic Area,” said AARCH Executive Director Erin Tobin. “Thank you to Parks and Trails New York, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, and to our partners at Camp Santanoni for the last 36 years, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, for this support.”
“I’m so grateful to Parks and Trails New York for helping us achieve this milestone for the Camp Santanoni Historic Area,” said Kelly Quimby, AARCH’s Camp Santanoni Historic Site Manager. “A cultural landscape report will help us to make decisions that honor Camp Santanoni’s rich cultural landscape and aid us in making this beloved National Historic Landmark more accessible to all.”
The Park and Trail Partnership Grants program, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, is administered by Parks & Trails New York, a statewide non-profit organization, in partnership with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation.
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Catch up on all the latest Camp Santanoni news in our 2025-2026 Winter Newsletter!
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Want to join the thousands of people who love this special place? Click here to support Camp Santanoni and join the Friends group.
VISIT
The Santanoni Preserve is open year-round, however, many of the buildings are only open during the summer and for special events in the spring, fall and winter.
Historic Preservation
Since the early 1990s, a partnership of Adirondack Architectural Heritage, the Town of Newcomb, New York and the New York State Department of Conservation have worked together to preserve Great Camp Santanoni for future generations.
The Friends of Camp Santanoni
Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) operates the Friends group for Camp Santanoni. The Friends assist in preservation, interpretation, and educational programs at the camp. Friends get invitations to volunteer work days and special events, and receive the Camp Santanoni newsletter.
history
Commissioned by Robert and Anna Pruyn at the turn of the 20th century, Santanoni is one of the earliest examples of what is now known as an Adirondack Great Camp.
Events
In addition to free tours of Camp Santanoni’s historic buildings in the summer, there’s always an exciting slate of events taking place at the site. Visit the Special Events page for more information about this year’s events.
volunteer
Great Camp Santanoni relies on its volunteers to help maintain its buildings and landscape. We have several volunteer events throughout the season. Visit the Volunteer page for more information about this year’s volunteer opportunities.
"There is independence, delight, and peace in the isolation."
— Robert C. Pruyn