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History Of The Adirondack Chair

July 31, 2016 Scott Stevens

History Of The Adirondack Chair

The Adirondack Chair was originally designed by Thomas Lee around the turn of the 20th century. Lee was vacationing in the Adirondacks (Westport, NY) on the shores of Lake Champlain, and needed some outdoor seating while entertaining family and friends. He designed a few different prototypes and tested them on his family, getting feedback and making adjustments. That winter, Lee enlisted his hunting friend Harry Bunnell to help him manufacture the chairs. Bunnell was a carpenter and could turn out chairs in his shop over the winter to make some extra money. The chairs were an immediate hit in Westport,...