William West Durant, known as the father of the Adirondack Style, built Camp Sagamore from 1895 to 1897. It was his third Great Camp, and was located on the shore of its own private lake, a few miles from Pine Knot, his first camp, on Raquette Lake. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt bought Sagamore in 1901, and made many additions to the property, including a bowling alley, and a staff compound. After he died in 1915 (on the Lusitania) his family continued to use the camp until 1954, when it was gifted to Syracuse University and became a conference center. Since 1975 it has been operated by the Sagamore Institute of the Adirondacks, a nonprofit that rents it out for educational programs and retreats, and limited public use.