Lawrence Lester

Born: c. 1891

Died: March 5, 1974

Married: Helen

Children:

Lawrence Lester started as a caretaker at Camp Topridge in 1953, and stayed on after Marjorie Merriweather Post's death in 1973.

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Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 6 March 1974

Lawrence Lester

SARANAC LAKE — Lawrence Lester, 83, died Tuesday evening at the Highland Nursing Home in Massena.

Mr. Lester was born in Constable, a son of Benjamin and Eunice Hapgood Lester.

His wife, Helen, died on Jan. 25.

Survivors are: a sister, Idamae Killelea of Constable; a brother, Benjamin, of Rome, N.Y.; and nieces and nephews including Randall Gardner of Syracuse.

Friends may call Thursday afternoon and evening at the Keough and Son Memorial Chapel. A Bible Vigil will be held there at 8:15 p.m. Thursday. A Mass of the Resurrection will be offered at 11:15 a.m. Friday at St. Bernard's Church. Interment will be in St. Bernard's Cemetery.

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From the Camp Topridge page: Amanda Lester Ryan says: “My grandfather, Lawrence Lester, worked for Mrs. Post. He actually stayed on at Topridge as a caretaker afterward through several different owners. I have had some great times there throughout the years. Mrs. Post’s cabin was always my favorite. Everything there was so girly, lots of pink. And a powder room most women would kill for, lol! It looks the same today as it did back then. The way she had the Main Lodge decorated was quite fascinating too. So much to look at.” —Users/amycatania

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From Great American Railroad Journeys

I've been invited to one of the largest of the great camps, Camp Topridge, established in the 19th century and developed in the 20th by New York socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post.

Hello, Lawrence. Good to see you.

-Good to see you, sir.

-What a beautiful day.

I'm arriving in the same manner as lucky guests invited by Marjorie Post.

Lawrence Lester started work at Camp Topridge in 1953, giving him a window into this privileged world. What sort of numbers might Mrs Post entertain?

An average of about 25 and maybe a few more on occasion.

They loved the serenity of the place, the quietness.

They usually had a picnic once each week.

The guests were required to carry the pack baskets and utensils and we did the carrying to the boats in-between the paths. Large picnics in the forest are a defining feature of life in the great camps, a tradition that goes back to the first 19th century visitors, who held elaborate feasts in remote woodland.

My goodness, if this is the boathouse, I'm beginning to think this place may not be as free from luxury as I'd imagined. Indeed, luxuries abound.

A funicular railway! No rural retreat could be without!

This, like all the other great camps, was built in the particular Adirondack style,

using the locality's natural materials. In addition to the main lodge, there are 18 cottages for guests.

Heavens, Lawrence, that is amazing!

And when they stayed in the guest cottages, what kind of services did they have there?

Oh, they usually had a chambermaid assigned to each cabin. They had butlers, large staff - probably 80, 85 people.

-80 or 85 people?

-Yes.

And probably, I'm guessing probably again, probably 25-30 people, you know, as guests.

-May we go inside?

-Yes, we certainly can.

My goodness, Lawrence, I think this is one of the biggest rooms I've ever seen.

There must be, I don't know, places for 100 people to sit in this room. What was it like when it was full of people?

That usually happened on movie nights. Mrs Post had movies in here two or three times a week. There was a little projection booth up here in back and Mrs Post would sit over here, the front row.

That was a busy time in the main lodge.

These great camps afforded every amenity that their cosseted occupants might require.

What do you think it was like for Mrs Post and her guests, this place?

She enjoyed it very much. Mrs Post, I'm sure, found this as quite a sanctuary in her life, you know, just being able to be here for those few weeks each year.