Benjamin A. Muncil (28 Aug 1867 – 16 Dec 1930) was an American master builder in the

Adirondacks The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular d ...

early in the 20th century. He was a major figure in the architectural development of the Adirondack

Great Camps __NOTOC__ The Great Camps of the Adirondack Mountains refers to the grandiose family compounds of cabins that were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century on lakes in the Adirondacks such as Spitfire Lake and Rainbow Lake. The camp ...

; among his many projects was

Marjorie Merriweather Post Marjorie Merriweather Post (March 15, 1887 – September 12, 1973) was an American businesswoman, socialite, and philanthropist. She was also the owner of General Foods Corporation. Post used much of her fortune to collect art, particularly Im ...

Camp Topridge __NOTOC__ Camp Topridge is an Adirondack Park Great Camp bought in 1920 and substantially expanded and renovated in 1923 by Marjorie Merriweather Post, founder of General Foods and the daughter of C. W. Post. The "camp", near Keese Mill, in the ...

, Northbrook Lodge, and

White Pine Camp White Pine Camp is an Adirondack Great Camp on Osgood Pond in Paul Smiths, New York. It served as the Summer White House for US President Calvin Coolidge from July 7 through September 18, 1926. The camp, built on for New York businessman Arch ...

, a summer White House of US President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...

. Born in

Vermontville, New York Vermontville is a hamlet in Franklin County in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seat of government of the town of Franklin. Vermontville is located near the southern town line on New York State Route 3. History Vermontville was settled by m ...

, he started life as a lumberman at age 14 and as a guide and camp caretaker on

Upper St. Regis Lake Upper St. Regis Lake is a part of the St. Regis River in the Adirondacks in northern New York State. Along with Lower St. Regis Lake and Spitfire Lake, it became famous in the late 19th century as a summer playground of America's power elit ...

at age 18. He was the first to use "brainstorm siding," wavy-edged cladding, in place of clapboard, at several camps, including White Pine Camp on

Osgood Pond Osgood Pond is a five hundred acre lake in the hamlet of Paul Smiths, Town of Brighton, Franklin County, New York. It is the site of White Pine Camp, the Summer White House of President Calvin Coolidge, and of the historic Northbrook Lodge, li ...

in 1907. Other projects included Camp Longwood and the Huntington camp, both on

Spitfire Lake Spitfire Lake is a part of the St. Regis River in the Adirondacks in northern New York State and is in area. Along with Upper and Lower St. Regis Lake, it became famous in the late 19th century as a summer playground of America's power elite ...

, and the Little Camp on Upper St. Regis Lake. The main boathouse at Topridge, with its curving cedar railings and

twig work Twig-work is the term applied to architectural details constructed of twigs and branches to form decorative motifs in buildings and furniture. Carpentry or woodworking using wood that has not been milled into lumber and is still in its natural sh ...

screens, is one of the major and last examples of the naturalistic rustic tradition introduced by W. W. Durant. He also designed the

American Craftsman American Craftsman is an American domestic architectural style, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, which included interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts, beginning in the last years of the 19th century. Its ...

style Brighton Town Hall at Brighton, New York in 1914 and Northbrook Lodge at

Paul Smiths, New York Paul Smiths is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Brighton in Franklin County, New York, United States. It is located on Lower Saint Regis Lake in the Adirondacks, northwest of Saranac Lake, located at 44°26' North 74°1 ...

in 1919–1922. ''Note:'' This includes

References

External links

''Adirondack Connections'' article on two Muncil sites. (pdf)United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service ''ADIRONDACK CAMPS THEME STUDY'' (pdf)
American carpenters Rustic style architects Adirondack Great Camps 1867 births 1930 deaths People from Franklin County, New York {{US-architect-stub