Community celebrates opening of Frontier Town A-frame

NORTH HUDSON | The soaring Frontier Town A-frame, which has spent the last quarter-century in a forlorn state of neglect, made a triumphant return Saturday, as its doors opened to a new life as a welcoming center to the South Side of the High Peaks. With its soft opening, the A-frame will serve as a restaurant, coffee shop, camp store and gift shop, but in time developer Muhammad "Mo" Ahmad hopes to include real-time travel and trail information, as well as an outfitter. Saturday night, the center also hosted its first event, a senior ball attended by students from Schroon Lake Central School. Saturday, the community turned out not just to see the A-frame's second act, but to thank Ahmad for saving it. "He was enthusiastic right from the beginning, and he's just done a tremendous job," said Ron Moore, former supervisor and board member for the Town of North Hudson. "Iconic doesn't even begin to explain what (the A-frame) meant. It was of vital importance to the town, and now it's a destination again." Current Supervisor Stephanie DeZalia said the community has watched the transformation with considerable interest — many in attendance remembered coming to Frontier Town when it was a popular theme park during the second half of the 20th century. In its day, it attracted thousands of visitors and top-tier talent such as Johnny Cash, along with train and stagecoach rides and cowboy and Indian acts. The modern version will pay tribute to the past, with a museum and perhaps restoration of some of the old activities. "This is a proud moment for me to see all these people appreciating the history, and to be a part of it," Ahmad said. "It's been a long road, but with my team we've stayed positive." In 2017, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared that Exit 29 in North Hudson would become a strategic point for Adirondack tourism, helping to redistribute crowds of hikers that tend to gravitate to Keene Valley. Since that time, some progress has been made toward that end, including the opening of the state Frontier Town equestrian campground and the privately-owned Paradox Brewery. Most were hoping the state would do more to fulfill Cuomo's grand design, but absent that, Essex County has stepped forward to begin plans for fleshing out the destination. Supervisors Chair Shaun Gillilland said North Hudson has a $50,000 grant that can be used for a horse and events arena, and the county's Public Works Department is assessing the condition of the remaining Frontier Town buildings located on about 100 acres between the A-Frame and the state campground. The property had reverted to the county in lieu of taxes after Frontier Town closed for good in 1998. Gillilland said about half of the buildings are in good enough condition to save. The county is also envisioning a trail network that will give more opportunities for equestrians and mountain bikers, which would complement Ahmad's development and broaden the area's appeal. "I know from experience Mo is a force to be reckoned with — he's the kind of entrepreneur we need to lead Essex County into the future," Gillilland said. "And we in the county are going to tie this together as a multi-faceted recreational hub."

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Community celebrates opening of Frontier Town A-frame

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