Joseph O.A. Bryere (1859 – 1941), was a guide in the

Adirondacks The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York (state), New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the hi ...

and a noted

woodworking Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinetry, furniture making, wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning. History Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked b ...

artist whose style played a significant role in creating the rustic, “Adirondack look” we know today. Along with Ernest Stowe, Seth Pierce, George Wilson and other master craftsmen, Bryere helped create the rustic aura so desired in the

Adirondack great camps __NOTOC__ The Great Camps of the Adirondack Mountains are often grandiose family compounds of cabins that were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century on lakes in the Adirondacks. The camps were summer homes for the wealthy, sites ...

of the late 19th century and early 20th century. Bryere, was born in

Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade () is a municipality located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, in Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality, Les Chenaux RCM, Mauricie region, Quebec, Canada. History On October 29, 1672, an area of 1.5 Fre ...

, on the north shore of the

St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawren ...

, in

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. According to the Drouin Collection, the spelling of the Bryere name was interchangeable from Briere to Bryère. Joe Bryere Clock

By the early 1880s, Bryere had made his way into the United States and eventually to

Raquette Lake Raquette Lake is the Source (river or stream), source of the Raquette River in the Adirondack Mountains of New York (state), New York U.S. state, State. It is near the community of Raquette Lake, New York. The lake has of shoreline with pines ...

, located in Hamilton County, New York, in the central Adirondacks. He worked for a few years on Camp Fairview, owned by Charles Durant, cousin of

William West Durant William West Durant (1850–1934) was a designer and developer of camps in the Adirondack Architecture, Adirondack Great Camp style, including Camp Uncas, Camp Pine Knot and Great Camp Sagamore which are National Historic Landmarks. He was t ...

. From early on he was known then for his enterprising ability and physical strength. At that time, the Adirondacks were not heavily populated, and many frontiersmen made their claim to land by squatting for long periods of time, in stark distinction from many of the railroad magnates who could own tens of thousands of acres of land in the Adirondacks. After moving to the Adirondacks, Bryere met Mary Agnes Gooley, and they were married in 1884 at Ed Bennett's Inn, Under the Hemlocks. They had four children. They were the first couple known to be married at Raquette Lake. Together they built Brightside on Raquette log by log, living in tents, shacks and eventually in the original hotel they had built together. Brightside was opened in 1891. Bryere became known for his work over the course of his lifetime by crafting numerous pieces of furniture, which he sold or used to furnish Brightside. As Adirondack furniture became more and more popular through the 20th century, the style of his work was duplicated by large numbers of craftsmen. Today, a large collection of his work is on display at the

Adirondack Museum Adirondack Experience (formerly Adirondack Museum), located on NY-30 in the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake in Hamilton County, New York, is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Adirondacks. The museum is located on the site of an h ...

in Blue Mountain Lake, New York.

References

Sources

* Gilborn, Craig, ''Adirondack Furniture and the Rustic Tradition'', New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000. * Timm, Ruth, ''Raquette Lake: A Time to Remember'', Utica, North Country Books, 1989, . * State of New York Annual Report of the Forest Commission For the Year 1893, Vol. 1., Albany: James B. Lyon, State Printer. 1894, Pg. 343

External links

History of the Brightside

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bryere, Joe Adirondacks People from Hamilton County, New York American woodworkers 1941 deaths 1859 births People from Mauricie Canadian emigrants to the United States Date of birth unknown Date of death missing