Village of Dannemora is in Clinton county in the foothills of Dannemora Mountain. It is within the Blue Line (Blue Line marks the border of the Adirondack Park), and as much a part of the Adirondack History as Lake Placid, etc. To get to Dannemora from Plattsburgh (the closest large town or city), you proceed west on 374, go past Cadyville (10 miles), climb the Cadyville Hills, proceed another 5 miles from Cadyville and you can see the Prison built on the side of a mountain. The first building you notice on the right is now called the Annex. It used to be called The State Hospital for the Criminal Insane. The large coils of razor wire are a new addition since it became the Annex.

"DANNEMORA was formed from Beekmantown, Dec 14, 1854. It is the central town upon the w. border of the co. Its surface is mostly a wild, mountainous upland, covered with a sandy soil and light growth of forest trees. Chazy Lake, near the center, 3 1/2 miles long by 1 1/2 wide, discharges its waters E. into Chazy River. Upper Chateaugay Lake, on the w. border, 5 mi. long by 1 1/2 broad, discharges its waters w. into Chateaugay River. The few settlements in town are confined to the S.E. corner. Dannemora is a small village grown up around the Clinton Prison. The prison was located here in 1845, for the purpose of employing convicts in the mining and manufacture of iron, so that their labor would not come so directly in competition with the other mechanical trades. The first permanent settler was Thomas ******, who came to reside in 1838. The census reports one religious society (Presbyterian) in town."- French's Gazetteer of New York State, 1860.