John Greenwood

ADIRONDACK IKE COMES HOME

WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOHN R. GREENWOOD

Ira Gray, October 18, 1886-August 1, 1982, was best known for being a skilled woodsman. He was also an author, storyteller, historian, and, more importantly, a well-respected citizen.

I was 15 years old when I met Ira "Adirondack Ike" Gray at his home in 1970. His home called "HI-N-DRI" was in Brooks Bay on the Great Sacandaga Lake in the Town of Day. My parents were staying at a friend's camp across the road. My father brought me over to meet Ike and maybe hear a story or two.

The two paperback covers taken from Jim Palmer’s paintings.

On that day in 1970, Ike treated me to a handful of stories, some of which I would later read in his book, "Follow My Moccasin’s Tracks." His writings were short and anecdotal but always entertaining. He loved sharing his experiences growing up in the Adirondacks. With a twinkle in his eye, Ike turned his adventures into gold nuggets. He left no stone or log unturned in his many years hunting and fishing the mountains and streams of the Adirondacks and beyond. He was happiest when donning a pair of snowshoes, his checkered wool jacket, and carrying his favorite deer rifle. His stories make his early hard-scrabble years sound heaven-sent.

In one of Ike's used books, I purchased online, I found an envelope with a short note addressed to John Truman. John must have been a friend of Ike's. The note read: Dear John Heard you liked my jacket. This is similar. I don't know if it will fit. Good for wearing while sitting in front of the stove reading Follow My Moccasin Tracks Regards, Ira (Ike) Another envelope in the book contained a letter that mentions a black and white checked jacket shown on page #150 of that same book. I can only assume that is the same jacket Ike gifted to his friend. Ike had ties to Saratoga Springs too. In a story titled "My Visit to The Casino," Ike tells of his mother working at the "Vermont House" on North Broadway, where the Saratoga City Center sits today. She tells of a man who lost all his money at the Casino. He returned to the boarding house, went to his room, and shot himself. His mother remembered the chambermaids running down the stairs two at a time yelling, "He's shot himself!" I have carried the memory of meeting Ike with me like a treasured memento for decades, which leads me to the title of this piece. I have a signed copy of Ira's original self-published book titled "My Memories 1886—1 to 91—1977 by Ira Gray." A few years ago, I was searching the internet for another copy to give to a friend. It was then that I discovered that there were two paperback versions of Ike's stories. That led me to Ike's great-niece Sandra Gray Loychik and her maternal cousin Carol Brown who helped market the books. Luckily, Carol had remaining copies for sale. Jump ahead to 2020. I contacted Carol looking for another copy. In that conversation, she mentioned that Sandra possessed the paintings used as the covers of his two paperbacks. Always searching for MY next story, I mentioned how great it would be to see those paintings. She said she would contact Sandra in Orlando, Florida, to see what she could do. Last spring, as Covid-19 was upon us, Sandra sent me photos of the two paintings. Subsequent conversations led me to ask what her plans were for them. I told her I was interested in buying them. Her response was a history lover's greatest joy. "I'm not interested in selling them, but I would donate them for historical purposes."

David Cranston - Kinnear Museum Curator and HadleyLake Luzerne Historical Society Vice President

Photo of note found in my used copy of Follow My Moccasin’s Tracks - Envelope was addressed to John Truman.

I contacted members of the Saratoga County History Center. Rachel Clothier, President of the Corinth Historical Society, suggested I contact the HadleyLake Luzerne Historical Society. She said Ira was an active member there for many years. She said he donated many of his items to them when he was alive. It made sense to us that the paintings should go back to the roots of their subject. Thanks to the generosity of Sandra Gray Loychik and the help of Carol Brown and Rachel Clothier, those paintings will soon be on display at the Frances Garnar Kinnear Museum. The Kinnear is also the home of the Hadley-Lake Luzerne Historical Society. I made the informal presentation to the museum's curator, David Cranston May 27, 2021. As with many local museums and historical societies, Covid-19 has hampered their reopening. The Kinnear Museum is no exception. Please visit their website or Facebook Page for more details on when you might be able to see Ira Gray's "Adirondack Ike" Collection. The story of the two paintings doesn't end here. Sandra and Carol both wanted to be sure that I acknowledged the paintings' artist James "Jim" Palmer. Jim was a longtime friend of the family who had done commercial designs for Quaker Oats and Ralston Purina. He retired in 1988 after a long and varied career in the Glens Falls area. He was involved in many art societies and taught painting classes for local seniors. He passed away in 2008. My goal in sharing the journey and history of these two paintings is to renew interest in all museums and historical societies throughout our area. Space here does not allow for a more detailed background on author Ira Gray or artist Jim Palmer. My goal was to spark the curiosity of a new generation of historians. More information is a Google away. I understand that the Kinnear Museum still has copies of Ike's books for sale. If interested, I would contact them via their website. I suggest starting your "Adirondack Ike" journey by visiting the Saratoga Room Digital Exhibits on the Saratoga Springs Public Library's website. There you will find many recently added oral histories. A search for "Adirondack Ike Interview" will bring you to a 1972 audio recording that Saratoga County Historian Violet Dunn did with Ira Gray. Don't be discouraged by the audio quality of the 50-year-old interview; the honesty and raw content of Ira's vintage stories more than make up for it. STAY CURIOUS. SS