Local History: Mitch Lee and Gary Lee

The Old Forge Library, 220 Crosby Blvd., invites the public to the next presentation in the Town of Webb Historical Association’s Local History Series on Thursday, August 13, at 5 p.m.

Held Thursdays throughout the summer, this free series explores the Adirondacks through engaging presentations on the region’s history, conservation, culture, and storytelling, while encouraging residents and visitors to share their own memories and experiences.
The program will feature father-and-son Adirondack columnists Gary Lee and Michael “Mitch” Lee, whose decades of writing and firsthand experiences have captured the people, places, and traditions of the Adirondacks.

A retired New York State Forest Ranger, Gary Lee spent 35 years serving the Moose River Wild Forest and West Canada Lakes Wilderness areas. Now living at Eight Acre Wood in Inlet, he continues his lifelong commitment to conservation by working summers with the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, where he helps observe, capture, and band loons.

From 1986 to 2019, Gary wrote the popular Daybreak to Twilight column for area newspapers and now authors the weekly Outdoor Adventures blog. He is also co-author of Adirondack Birding: 60 Great Places to Find Birds and has contributed numerous articles to the Adirondack Almanack. Known as an avid outdoorsman, Gary is also a naturalist, photographer, hiking guide, hunter, trapper, volunteer, and storyteller whose experiences have made him one of the region’s most respected outdoor writers.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Michael “Mitch” Lee became an Adirondack storyteller, columnist, illustrator, and historian. Raised in the West Central Adirondacks, he developed a deep appreciation for the region’s people, traditions, and history before earning a master’s degree in arts education.

Before retiring, Mitch served as Inlet’s Director of Parks and Recreation and Assistant Director of Tourism, where he helped promote the Adirondack way of life. His stories and illustrations appeared regularly in the Weekly Adirondack newspaper, capturing the humor, character, and rich traditions that make the region unique.

For more than 30 years, Mitch traveled throughout the Adirondacks as a professional storyteller, bringing history and folklore to life through engaging performances in character. His entertaining blend of storytelling, humor, and historical insight made him one of the region’s most recognizable and respected voices.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information about this and other library programs, call the Old Forge Library at 315-369-6008 or visit the library at 220 Crosby Blvd.