Oseetah Lake

Oseetah Lake
McKenzie Mountain from the lake
Location	Adirondack State Park, Franklin / Essex counties, New York, USA
Coordinates	Coordinates: 44°16′55″N 74°8′8″W / 44.28194°N 74.13556°W / 44.28194; -74.13556
Primary inflows	Saranac River
Primary outflows	Saranac River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	250 acres (1.0 km2)

Oseetah Lake is a 250-acre (1.0 km²) lake in the New York Adirondack State Park two and a half miles south of the village of Saranac Lake on the Saranac River. It is located mostly in the town of Harrietstown, but its easternmost porttion extends into the town of North Elba.

Originally named Miller Pond, Oseetah Lake was formed when the dam across the Saranac River at Saranac Lake, that also forms Lake Flower, was raised to generate electric power by Paul Smith in 1904. The Saranac River departs the lower locks below Lower Saranac Lake and flows northeast into Oseetah Lake. The river exits Oseetah at the north end of the lake and flows northeast to Lake Flower and Saranac Lake. Oseetah is also fed by Kiwassa Lake. Principal islands in Oseetah Lake are Wyota, Wapiti, Watch, Haven of Rest, Papoose and Birch. Its shoreline is mostly privately held.

According to legend, Oseetah was an Indian Princess who, upon throwing herself off a cliff into a lake on learning the Indian chief she loved was betrothed to another, was magically transformed into a water lily. In the Huron language Oseetah means "Water Lily".

It is part of the route of the Adirondack Canoe Classic, also known as the Ninety-miler.

References

• A History of the Adirondaks, Alfred L. Donaldson, Harbor Hill Books, 1977
• Topographical Survey, Adirondack Region, Verplanck Colvin, Weed Parsons & Company, 1880