William West Durant was the late 19th century summer camp designer, builder, and developer who took twig work to new heights. He built and sold his land and camps to Gilded Age acquaintances, making the Adirondacks fashionable and its style renowned. Despite Durant’s influence, and his influential supporters, he was bankrupt by 1904. He managed a local hotel for a while, then moved away, and died in New York City in 1934, while celebrations of affluence continued in the Adirondacks. A marshy lake, not far from his epicenter at Raquette Lake, was named in his honor, and a roadside turnout next to the lake has a rock with a plaque that acknowledges his contribution to the region’s identity.