LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 17 Agassiz Bay In 1858 philosopher and transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson began leading groups of fellow transcendentalists to what he dubbed "Philoso- pher's Camp" centered on 25,000 acres near today's Agassiz Bay of Follensby Pond. One of the more famous campers was Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz. He was born May 28, 1807 in Môtier, Switzerland to Louis Rudolphe and Rose Mayor. Louis was a sixth generation Protestant pastor. He wanted Jean to be a man of the cloth, too, but his son was not inter- ested. Jean attended University of Zurich, Univer- sity of Heidelberg, and University of Munich and earned a doctorate in medicine from the University of Munich in 1830. He then taught Natural History, specializing in glaciology, fossilized fishes, and ice ages. He traveled to the United States for a lecture tour and was offered a teaching position at Harvard University, which he accepted. Jean died December 12, 1873, and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The toponym Agassiz Bay was added to United States Geological Survey topographic maps in 1955. It has been reported that 1,972-foot Winch Moun- tain and Winch Pond are named after "a winch… a hauling or lifting device often used in logging." No. Winch Cemetery is directly below Winch Mountain. Concerning this pond, a newspaper announcement written by Cassius Winch in 1917 stated, "Having leased that part of Lot 28, Jay Tract, in the Town of Wilmington, that includes Winch Pond, all persons are hereby warned not to hunt, fish, or trap on said premises under the penalty of the law." Cassius was born in 1850 to Nathan Winch IV and Nancy Winch, was married to Elizabeth Roberts Winch, and died in 1931. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery of Upper Jay six miles from Winch Pond. Considering this toponym was featured on maps by 1896, the land around it was likely first owned by Nathan IV. He was born in 1811 to Nathan Winch III and Eliza- beth Winch, was married to Nancy Hayes Winch and Abigail Prime Winch, and died December 29, 1888. He, too, is buried in Mountain View Cemetery. Winch Pond Erik, the "Place Name Dude," begins Part 2 of our four-part series surrounding the history of names given to various locations throughout the Adirondacks. Enjoy learning about the history of the names – known as toponyms – behind some of your favorite locations.

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