A 19th-century iron-mining village abandoned in 1857 and briefly revived as the Tahawus Club — it was from here that Theodore Roosevelt made his midnight ride to the presidency in 1901. The state and Open Space Institute acquired the 10,000-acre tract in 2003; the massive 1854 McIntyre blast furnace has been stabilized with viewing platforms and interpretive signage, the MacNaughton Cottage restored, and about ten ruined buildings line Upper Works Road at a major High Peaks trailhead. Access is legal, free, and drive-up. Stay out of the surviving wooden structures, which remain fragile.
Vestige documents abandoned & historic places for education and preservation. Always obtain permission before visiting and follow local law.