Manchester Wood’s American Classic Adirondack Folding Chair

A limited time only Manchester Wood Adirondack Chair for sale currently on ManchesterWood.com.

A variation of this blog was featured on L.L. Bean’s Trail Mix during Labor Day weekend last year. It was written by Luke Eriksen, grandson of Manchester Wood’s founder Clifford Pierce, and Nathaniel Gibson, a freelance writer based in Southern Vermont.

Over the past century, the Adirondack chair has become a classic piece of American outdoor furniture. Originally conceived as a fairly basic design in the early 1900s in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, where our mill is presently located, has been redesigned in numerous styles with various features since its inception. The Adirondack chairs that Manchester Wood offers today incorporate the best of these refinements to make it convenient and comfortable, while still holding true to its distinct American heritage.

The design for our classic Adirondack Folding Chair originated when our founder Clifford Pierce, during the early 1980s, spent summers with the family at his lakefront camp on Lake George in the Adirondacks of New York. While taking boat rides on the lake, “the boys” and Cliff would pass by various old family estates that had Adirondack chairs on their property, set by campfire pits or on sprawling front yards and, most iconically, on docks. There were many styles and most appeared aged and worn, falling apart over just a couple seasons. Cliff reckoned it was because they were made out of pine and scrap crates, which were the common materials, used for Adirondack chairs at the time.

After learning of Cliff’s interest in the chairs, a friend and neighbor at the lake happily gave Cliff one of his Adirondack chairs to study and reference dimensions. Thus began Manchester Wood’s development of the Adirondack chair. The timing was excellent. Previously, Manchester Wood had focused on making smaller solid wood products, such as towel holders and spice racks, but during the early 1980s we transitioned to producing larger solid wood furniture pieces. The Adirondack chair fit in perfectly with this transition.

Early on it was decided that the chairs should be foldable. Easy storage was a key feature in Cliff’s mind as he had seen too many prematurely weathered and dilapidated chairs on the docks and shores of Lake George. Unlike bulkier designs that were a hassle to move and took up too much space to store inside easily, the folding design did not take up as much space and encouraged customers to keep the chairs inside over the winter.

Adirondack chair from the 1984 Chicago Housewares Trade Show

The Adirondack Chair designed by Cliff was introduced at the Chicago Housewares Trade Show in 1984 where it became a hit, and an eventual iconic brand image for one of our leading wholesale accounts we continue with today. The Adirondack Chair they knew was going to be a hit, although with a few changes. They asked for the design to be made a bit more traditional, with wider arms and seat legs, and a tapered back. “But,” they told us, “keep that folding idea!”

From this collaboration, our initial Adirondack Chair for sale was born, debuting in their catalog during the spring of 1985. Over the years it has become famous for its quality solid wood construction, durability and ease of storage, and remains the perfect finishing touch for beach and lake houses, porches, decks, patios and many other outdoor spaces.

We think that if Cliff were out on a lake today, he would be pleased to see that in the place of many of the weathered hulks that initially inspired him are the Adirondack chairs that he helped create, still in good condition thanks to their durable, folding design.

Manchester Wood is proud to announce the next generation of our folding Adirondack chair and extended collection of the same inspiration in the coming early summer months of this year… stay tuned.

To visit our current online catalog, visit ManchesterWood.com

Manchester Wood has designed and produced quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American made furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York for over 35 years.

Helping the New American Consumer: Sales, Giveaways, and more!

The many reasons why Manchester Wood is the best American made furniture provider.

When it comes to classic Americana solid wood furniture with ranges in design from Adirondack, Shaker, Contemporary, Slate Top, Glass Top, Mission, Cherry, and more, Manchester Wood is a leading manufacturer of quality Made in USA furniture. Our small “mill,” as our 50-odd craftspeople would claim it, is just West of the Green Mountains in Vermont, and rests at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in New York.

With major press outlets such as NPR and ABC World News with Diane Sawyer discussing Made in the USA products and the dire need of re-growing in the marketplace for the countries well-being as a people, both monetarily and ethically. Manchester Wood is happy to say that we’re at the forefront of affordability in the quality of our heirloom furniture that is important to us, and we plan for everybody to participate and own American made solid wood furniture produced from our plant.

In order to see this plan actualized, to see Wal-Mart or Target consumerism enter more towards a world of smart shopping and ethical consumption of products, Manchester Wood is offering an extension of gratitude and thanks for our amazing customers with monthly giveaways, more sales on items, and other prizes and raffles as we continue the year in offering incentives towards the pursuit of higher consumer understanding.

This month (January) we have two great offers available with a FREE cutting board for ANY purchase, and 10% off ALL Outdoor Furniture! Simply type “FREE” for cutting board, “Early” for 10% Outdoor Furniture discount in the coupon code box at checkout.

Sign-up on our mailing list to receive these updates on all our deals by clicking here, or by visiting our website, ManchesterWood.com, our Facebook, Twitter, or Blog.

We thank you for being on the cutting edge of the new rise in American consumerism! God bless you!

4th of July $10 Off Adirondack Sale: June 24th – July 5th

Kid's Adirondack Chairs are only $69.95!

Manchester Wood celebrates America’s Independence with offering the highest quality American made summer staple for over the last 35 years: the Adirondack Chair; with $10 off every chair purchased and FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental U.S. from June 24^th until July 5^th. It requires typing “4thSale” in the Coupon Code box at checkout on ManchesterWood.com.

Our Adirondack Chairs have become a lake and beachside benchmark, an emblem of comfort, craftsmanship, and relaxation. We’re proud to say our chairs have graced many docks, porches, and ocean sides over the years, and a small token of our appreciation comes in this $10 off sale.

Lemon Yellow Adirondack Chair on Glen Island, Lake George, NY

Choose any of our 7 finish colors for both Adirondack and Kid’s Adirondack Chairs. The sale brings our Kid’s Adirondack Chair down to a mere $69.95! That’s a true savings, and a great way for the young ones to join Mom and Dad this summer at a very reasonable price.

Sit back… relax… and take a piece of the Adirondacks home with you this Independence year.

To view our Adirondack Chairs, click here.

To view our Kid’s Adirondack Chairs, click here.

Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.