About the Author

William P. Gates
William P. Gates
WPG-on-MO
Captain Bill Gates aboard the MOHICAN on Lake George

William Preston “Bill” Gates of Bolton Landing and Queensbury, is a retired teacher, Lake George steamboat captain and author of 12 local history books. Bill grew up in Bolton on Lake George, worked in his parents Bill Gates Diner and has been a lifelong collector of local Lake George historical memorabilia and stories. He is a seventh generation member of his Gates family in Bolton, and is the fifth generation to live in his family’s 1830 Gates Homestead in Bolton, now on the Register of Historic Places.

With 12 Lake George regional history books published, I’ve completed my next book, “GROWING UP ON LAKE GEORGE”, scheduled for publication in May 2022. I was very fortunate to be the oldest son of Bill & Dawn Gates who operated our popular Bill Gates Diner, a converted Hudson Valley Trolley Car, now on display at the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum in Plattsburgh, NY. I am enjoying my recollections and am in no hurry to stop doing so. Also in the future, I may be selling some of the many duplicates in my Lake George collection and will list them at that time on this web site.  Enjoy the history!  Bill Gates