Lake George family begins cleanup after dam break floods their businesses

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A family in Lake George is working to pick up the pieces after a dam break flooded their two businesses on Friday. The Morgan family, who owns Whippoorwill Motel and Campsites and Ledge Rock Hill Winery, reported extensive damage to both properties.

According to the Warren County Sheriff's Office and Office of Emergency Services, a beaver dam gave way Friday evening. The incident reportedly put about a foot of water on Route 9 near the former Maltbie Chevrolet location in Lake George.

Authorities kept Route 9 closed overnight as the New York State Department of Transportation worked to clear the area, the sheriff's office said. The road was reopened at about 5 a.m. on Saturday.

Mallory Morgan, one of the owners of the Whippoorwill Motel and Campsites and Ledge Rock Hill Winery, said that their sister companies were hit by the water at about 9:30 p.m. that night. There was so much water, she said, that there was nothing they could do to stop it.

"We heard what sounded like a freight train coming," Morgan told NEWS10. "It came too fast. We had no idea where it was coming from."

The water flooded the Morgan's homes and campsite cabins, reportedly washing away belongings and even destroying a vehicle. The winery also sustained severe damage.

"[It] destroyed our infrastructure, including roads, parking lot, walls, bathhouses and foundations," Morgan said. "The water also ran into our winery, tasting room and flooded our wine cellar, destroying thousands of dollars of our wine and other merchandise."

Now, the Morgan family faces thousands of dollars in lost revenue, property damage and labor for repairs. The winery was closed on Saturday as they assessed the damage, and Morgan said the situation comes at an exceptionally bad time.

"Not to mention Memorial Day weekend is coming up and it is a vital weekend for our campground," Morgan told NEWS10.

The business owners said they have received "a tremendous amount of support" from friends and family as they begin to address the damage and prepare for the upcoming season. The campsite and winery were also just awarded "Best Campground" and "Best Winery/Brewery/Distillery" in the LakeGeorge.com Best of 2025 competition. While Morgan said the honor is "bittersweet" given the circumstances, they still feel very grateful.

"In the midst of all the hardship from Friday night’s flooding, we are honored to win 'Best Campground' for the 4th year in a row," the business owners said in a Facebook post on Sunday. "It’s our guests that make this place such an enjoyable place for our family to work and live and we couldn’t do it without your support."