Abbot Augustus Low, a New York native, is known for having the largest maple syrup production in the world, and it was right here in Tupper Lake. A.A. Low was born in Brooklyn in 1843, and spent time hunting, fishing, and exploring the north country in throughout his youth. He first became interested in maple sugaring in 1877 and purchased 46,000 acres in the Adirondacks between 1892 and 1896. He established the Horseshoe Forestry Company (HFC) around 1896. He built 15 miles of railroad track and built a sawmill on Bog River near Hitchens Pond in 1897. He constructed his first evaporator in 1898 and tapped 10,000 trees the following year in 1899, producing 4,000 gallons of syrup that first year. The maple products of HFC became very popular and even won prizes at fairs in PA and VT in 1899. An entrepreneur, A.A. Low made use of his evaporating pans in the off season and used them for making preserves from native berries. he even used his factory to bottle spring water, seizing every opportunity that came his way. His buisness continued to grow, and he pattented several of his inventions related to maple sugaring. HFC yielded its highest syrup production in 1907, producing 20,000 gallons of syrup in one season. Unfortunately, both lumbering and sugaring operations were halted as a result of forest fires in 1909. A.A. Low’s entire sugaring operation burned to the ground in those fires. He left horseshoe and returned to Brooklyn that same year. Browse through the pictures to see a glimpse into sugaring with the largest producer in the late 1800s. Photos are courtesy of the Adirondack Museum.