About Lakefalls
Lakefalls is a private estate occasionally rented out for events. The original site was established in 1927, during the Great Camp Era—a time when city dwellers, looking to escape into nature, built up vast estates in the Adirondacks and beyond. The present-day owner, Don Healy, is deeply invested in the history of the site and in preserving the beauty of its natural landscape and extraordinary architecture.
Unlike most event venues, Lakefalls only opens its gates to reservations a few times a year. Whether it be for a wedding or a corporate retreat, Lakefalls will feel like your personal Gilded Age country home. The property is fully enveloped by nature and only rented to one client at a time so there is space for total focus.
The Lakefalls team is made up of experienced and expert event facilitators who have hosted dozens of weddings, corporate retreats, charity functions, and family get-togethers over the past decades. Recent renovations preserve the estate’s rich history while enhancing its accommodations with modern amenities.
Sketch of the view of the Lodge through the stone archway of the Walled Garden
Lakefalls HISTORY
Lakefalls has a long history of hosting guests in a rustic yet luxurious manner. The site was designed in the manner of Adirondack “Great Camps,” which take inspiration from the simplicity and grandeur of the great outdoors. The architects of this style situated their work among forests, mountains, and lakes, and looked to a wide variety of influences, from Swiss chalets to Japanese design principles.
In 1918, Florence Brooks Aten, a wealthy, independent-minded woman from New York City, ventured north to New Hampshire and bought a 3-½-acre plot that she named Woods Mill Manor, after the old lumber mill on the site. The place later became known as Lakefalls, thanks to two of the most prominent natural features of the site: the waterfall, which comes into view as guests first enter the property; and the mirror-like lake, which reflects both foliage and fireworks, and allows for cooling water sports during hotter months.
Over a ten-year period, Florence acquired another 1,500 acres for Woods Mill Manor. She hired Augustus Shepard, the leading architect of the Adirondack “Great Camp” style, to shape the landscapes and design the impressive structures within them. Shepard, a prolific writer as well as designer, wrote that the Great Camps should “reflect the character of the woods.” Woods Mill Manor would be the perfect place for Florence and her friends to get away, enjoying hunting, fishing, and glittering dinners under the enormous trusses of the Great Hall.
Following the stock crash of 1929, Florence lost her entire fortune, and her dream camp was never fully realized. Over the next 60 years, the property passed through a variety of owners, none of whom fully appreciated the rich history of the area and the architectural significance of Lakefalls Lodge. The site is perhaps the last of the Adirondack-style great camps to be begun before the Great Depression ended this singular era—and Augustus Shepard’s only project of this type outside of the Adirondack Mountains in New York State.
Since the acquisition of the property by the Healys in 1990, the property has been restored to its former glory. The Lodge has been completely renovated, retaining period charm (including gas lights in the Great Room) alongside all modern amenities. The turret of the Walled Garden, which collapsed in the 1970s, has been rebuilt and enhanced. The remaining cabins and houses within the estate have been totally renovated and modernized while keeping their rustic flavor.
Contact Us
For venue rates, event packages, and sample itineraries, please fill out our contact form so we can get back to you. You can also email us at LakefallsLodge@gmail.com if you have any questions.