Book Discussion | “The First Adirondackers” | Chestertown | June 22, 2026
- Town of Chester Library 6307 U.S. 9 Chestertown, New York, 12817 United States (map)
The First Adirondackers: A Conversation That Rewrites Adirondack History
The Adirondack High Peaks.
A deeper look at the Adirondacks before colonization.
For generations, many Adirondack history books repeated a familiar story: that the Adirondack wilderness stood largely empty before European settlers arrived. On Monday, June 22, that long-held assumption takes center stage at the Town of Chester Library when acclaimed Indigenous educator David Kanietakeron Fadden and scientist Curt Stager present The First Adirondackers: 12,000 Years of Indigenous Peoples in the Adirondack Uplands.
Held at the Town of Chester Library inside the Municipal Center in Chestertown, this Adirondack book talk explores thousands of years of Indigenous history, culture, and presence throughout the region. For anyone interested in the true story of the Adirondacks, it promises to be one of the most thought-provoking history events of the summer.
History, after all, is rarely as simple as the version printed on a roadside marker.
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Meet the authors behind the book.
Few people are better positioned to tell this story than David Kanietakeron Fadden.
Co-author, David Kanietakeron Fadden
A Wolf Clan Mohawk artist, storyteller, and cultural educator from the Akwesasne community, Fadden serves as Director of the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center in Onchiota. For decades, he has worked to preserve and share Indigenous history and culture throughout northern New York and the Adirondacks.
Joining him is Curt Stager, professor of natural sciences at Paul Smith's College and an award-winning scientist, educator, and author known for making complex environmental and historical topics accessible to broad audiences.
Together, the pair bring different perspectives to the same question: What do archaeology, oral traditions, ecological evidence, and Indigenous knowledge reveal about the Adirondacks before colonization?
Challenging myths about Adirondack history.
The book's central premise is both straightforward and transformative.
The Adirondack uplands were not an empty wilderness waiting to be "discovered." Indigenous peoples traveled through, hunted, fished, gathered resources, shared stories, and maintained relationships with these landscapes for thousands of years.
Curt Stager, co-author of The First Adirondackers.
That reality challenges a persistent narrative that has shaped popular understanding of Adirondack history for generations.
Rather than presenting history as a debate, Fadden and Stager weave together evidence from archaeology, ecology, geology, and Indigenous knowledge to paint a richer picture of human life in the region stretching back roughly 12,000 years.
For visitors and residents alike, it offers an opportunity to view familiar mountains, lakes, and forests through a different lens.
Why this conversation matters in the Adirondacks.
The Adirondack Park often celebrates its wilderness character. Yet understanding who lived, traveled, and thrived here before modern settlement adds important context to the landscapes people enjoy today.
Places such as Lake George, Blue Mountain Lake, Indian Lake, Long Lake, Tupper Lake, and the High Peaks all sit within a broader cultural history that extends far beyond the last two centuries.
Events like this help connect Adirondack visitors and residents to that longer story.
And unlike many history presentations, this one comes directly from voices deeply connected to both the scholarship and the living traditions behind the subject matter.
Adirondack history in the authors' own words.
This video introduces viewers to the themes explored in The First Adirondackers and provides valuable context for understanding Indigenous history in the Adirondack region.
Authors David Kanietakeron Fadden and Curt Stager discuss the history, research, and Indigenous perspectives behind The First Adirondackers: 12,000 Years of Indigenous Peoples in the Adirondack Uplands.
The presentation at the Town of Chester Library offers Adirondack visitors and residents an opportunity to explore these ideas in greater depth directly with the authors.
ADK Taste insight.
One of the most interesting aspects of Adirondack history is how quickly the "empty wilderness" narrative became accepted as fact.
Modern archaeological discoveries and Indigenous scholarship continue to reveal evidence of long-term human activity throughout the region, reshaping historians' understanding of the Adirondack landscape.
ADK Taste recommendation.
Arrive 15–20 minutes early. Seating for community history talks can fill quickly, especially when local interest and regional history intersect. Chester's Municipal Center also offers convenient parking, making it easy to settle in before the 7 pm start.
Event details.
The First Adirondackers by Curt Stager and David Kanietakeron Fadden
What: The First Adirondackers: 12,000 Years of Indigenous Peoples in the Adirondack Uplands book talk
Who: David Kanietakeron Fadden and Curt Stager
When: Monday, June 22, 2026, at 7 pm
Where: Town of Chester Library, 2nd Floor, Municipal Center, Chestertown, NY
Admission: Check with the Historical Society of the Town of Chester or the Chestertown Public Library for attendance information and updates.
For the latest details, visitors should consult the Town of Chester Library and Historical Society Facebook pages before attending.
A new way to see familiar mountains.
The Adirondacks have always been a place of stories. Some are written in guidebooks. Others are etched into the landscape itself.
This June presentation offers an opportunity to hear one of the region's oldest stories—one that stretches back 12,000 years and continues today.
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FAQ
What is The First Adirondackers book talk?
It is a presentation and discussion featuring authors David Kanietakeron Fadden and Curt Stager about their book The First Adirondackers: 12,000 Years of Indigenous Peoples in the Adirondack Uplands.
When is the event?
Monday, June 22, 2026, at 7 pm.
Where is the event being held?
The Town of Chester Library on the second floor of the Municipal Center in Chestertown, New York.
Who should attend?
Anyone interested in Adirondack history, Indigenous culture, archaeology, environmental history, or regional storytelling.
Is this event appropriate for visitors to the Adirondacks?
Yes. Travelers looking for meaningful cultural experiences and deeper historical context about the Adirondacks will find this presentation especially valuable.
Why is this Adirondack history presentation unique?
The event combines Indigenous knowledge, storytelling, scientific research, and historical evidence to explore 12,000 years of human presence in the Adirondack uplands.
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