Rainbow Lake

In the news:

Negro Brook in Onchiota was recently renamed to the John Thomas Brook, for a 19th century Black settler.

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/john-thomas-brook-name-change

Paul Smith’s College professor Curt Stager led the effort for changing the name of Negro Brook. The source of John Thomas Brook is located near Kate Mountain in the town of Franklin. From there, it flows south to Twobridge Brook one mile northwest of Bloomingdale.

The new name pays homage to Thomas, who escaped slavery and started a farm near Bloomingdale. Stager filed the application with the U.S. Board of Geographical Names, which approved the proposal for John Thomas Brook at its April 13 meeting.

The application received letters of support from the town of Franklin, Franklin County, ADI, Historic Saranac Lake, Paul Smith’s College, Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center, North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association and local residents.

Also of interest is this Adirondack Explorer article about exploring the Negro Brook, which is described as a flatwater in an area known as the "Oregon Plains" full of thickets, blowdown and rapids that make for difficult paddling despite being a relatively flat part of the Adirondacks.

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/outtakes/negro-brook-thickets-blowdown-rapids