A Special Edition of
Official Publication of the Upstate New York Tourism Alliance
A Grand Canal Journey VO YA G E O F T H E L O I S Mc C LU R E
History on the Waters The story begins… page 2
photo: LCMM
In This Issue Open a Door to the Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Heading for Hudson Crossing . . . . . . . . . . .6 Touring Along the Hudson River . . . . . . . . .7 Schenectady’s Stockade District . . . . . . . 8 RiverSpark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Waterways, Wars, Wheels and Women . . 12 Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse . . . . . . . . 13 Oswego Shipbuilding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Lois McClure Ports-of-Call . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Erie Canal in Western NY . . . . . . . . . . 18
West Canada Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 America’s First Boom Town . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Float Under the Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fall in Love with Spencerport . . . . . . . . . 26 Collaboration—A Success Story . . . . . . . 28
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
History on the waters By Lori Solomon-Duell Where She Came From The opening of the canals inspired merchants to design a new type of vessel – the sailing canal boat. Sailing canal boats had the same box-shaped hulls as ordinary canal boats, but were also equipped with masts, sails, and a centerboard keel so that they could sail on open water. Once in the canal, crews lowered their masts and raised their centerboards, transforming the vessels into standard canal boats moved by horse or mule. Sailing canal boats were a common sight on Lake Champlain and the Finger Lakes from the opening of the canal and throughout the 1800s. However, they were never as numerous as standard (towed) canal boats. Lake Champlain contains approximately 300 shipwrecks including more than 100 canal boats, thirteen of which are sailing canal boats. The first shipwreck identified as a sailing canal boat was the General Butler, discovered by divers in 1980. It sank in 1876 during a violent storm that drove it into the Burlington Breakwater. Discovery and study of the General Butler was soon followed by that of the canal schooner O.J Walker that sank in 1895 while carrying a load of bricks. The information gathered from these historic canal schooners was used to build the reproduction canal schooner Lois McClure. The Lois McClure, a full-scale copy of two 1862-class sailing canal boats, was constructed by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM) in
photo: Isle La Motte Historical Society
Burlington, Vermont. The fouryear project was a collaboration between boat builders, nautical archaeologists and community volunteers. Where She’s Been During her 2004 inaugural tour, Lois McClure traveled Lake Champlain and hosted 12,500 visitors at ten ports. The following year Lois McClure embarked on the Grand Journey, “From the Green Mountains to Manhattan”, sponsored in large part by the farm families who own Cabot Creameries. This voyage was a perfect way for the Lois McClure to re-live the commercial heritage of the canal era: carrying historic cargo samples, while also serving as ambassador for the recent examples of products created from the farms, forests, workshops and studios of the Champlain Valley region.
Where Her Home Is The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum opened its doors in 1986. They are a non-profit museum in Vergennes, Vermont with a mission to study, preserve and share the rich history and archaeology of Lake Champlain. Starting in an original historic stone schoolhouse, LCMM
photo: LCMM
has grown to more than a dozen buildings, a shipyard in Burlington, Vermont, and three full-scale wooden reproduction vessels. LCMM provides a broad array of programs and learning experiences that bring to life the stories of Lake Champlain and its people. Since its founding, LCMM has grown into a mid-
The Erie and Champlain Canals connected people, places and ideas. They strengthened the union and fostered social and reform movements; they celebrated with art, literature, story and song. These canals helped establish an American identity both here and abroad. sized museum with two sites. Most history museums pass along facts as they are presented in books; LCMM is based on a more dynamic model. LCMM conducts underwater archaeology on the lake’s shipwrecks, and relates these stories to the public through exhibits, films, publications, reproduction projects and lectures. LCMM uses shipwrecks, recovered artifacts, and collections to tell the stories of the region’s vibrant military and cultural history, and to provide connections to the past for a broad audience from Vermont, New York, Quebec, and beyond. Top: Captain William Montgomery (1880) on the stern of his canal schooner, J.P. Howard, with a load of apples. Middle: The Lois McClure in Otter Creek; the tugboat replaces the horse and mule of yesteryear.
10 locations throughout the Finger Lakes to serve you!
Visit us online at www.lyonsbank.com photo: LCMM
Bottom: America’s youth enjoying a history and heritage lesson on the bow of the Lois McClure.
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photo: LCMM
Above: Visitors and crew are relaxing and enjoying a Peekskill sunset after a busy day on the Lois McClure.
In a word:
QUALIT Y “Winery of the Year” New York Wine Classic 2006
LCMM provides a broad array of programs and learning experiences that bring to life the stories of Lake Champlain and its people. For canal festivals and events go to touringny.com and click on canal festivals.
“Greatest Producer in the Atlantic Northeast” Wine Report, 2007, 2006 & 2005
“Best of the East” International Eastern Wine Competition 2006
fine wines for the everyday celebration of life
Plan a visit to Anthony Road for a taste of award winning wines, for a stroll through our gardens & to take in the views of Seneca Lake. Located 10 miles south of Geneva, just off Rte 14, on Seneca Lakeʼs west side.
www.drfrankwines.com (800) 320-0735 9749 MIDDLE ROAD HAMMONDSPORT, NY 14840
Open year round: M-Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5 1-800-559-2182
www.anthonyroadwine.com
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
Open a Door
to the past… Top Left: Every July, Seneca Falls celebrates Convention Days to commemorate the first Women’s Rights Convention held in 1848.
New York State Heritage Areas
By Lucy Breyer and Marcia Kees From the lush vineyards of the Concord Grape Belt on Lake Erie to the golden beaches of Orient Point and Long Island Sound, New York State’s Heritage Areas invite you to explore special places and stories that honor history and celebrate the Empire State experience. Founded in 1982 as the Urban Cultural Park system, the program is a statelocal partnership established to preserve and develop neighborhoods, communities, and regions that have special significance to New York State. In 2007, we’re celebrating the Heritage Areas System’s 25th anniversary at festivals, programs, and Visitor Centers throughout the state.
A program of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation For more information go to www.nysparks.com
Top Right: The ride is free, the smile is priceless. Binghamton’s Ross Park Carousel is one of six carousels donated by philanthropic industrialist George F. Johnson to the communities of the Susquehanna Heritage Area. Bottom: The mighty Genesee River and the historic mills it powered form the backdrop for a lively entertainment district.
Each Heritage Area represents one or more significant historic themes: Colonial outposts at Albany and Kingston became centers of government. Sites in the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor, on the North Shore of
Long Island, and in the Heights Heritage Area in northern Manhattan were significant in the defense of the new nation. Whitehall on Lake Champlain and Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario were major bases of maritime operations. The Erie Canal opened western New York to settlement (Western Erie Canal Heritage Corridor), made Syracuse a hub of commerce, and turned New York City into the world’s largest seaport, now celebrated in the Heritage Area we call Harbor Park. Upstate New York’s industries flourished, with Rochester’s High Falls leading the world in flour milling and the Hudson-Mohawk region (RiverSpark Heritage Area) manufacturing vast quantities of products ranging from knit goods to horseshoes, shirt collars to church bells. Buffalo’s Theater District was a hotbed of entertainment. Reform movements flourished in Seneca Falls and Ossining. Healing waters and fast horses made Saratoga Springs a fashionable resort. In the twentieth century, grape juice production brought prosperity to the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt, and enormous manufacturing enterprises in
Schenectady and the tri-cities of the Susquehanna Heritage Area attracted floods of immigrant workers. These fascinating stories left their mark on the living landscapes of our Heritage Areas, in engineering wonders such as the Croton Aqueduct (Ossining) and the Weighlock Building (Syracuse), great public buildings like the State Capitol (Albany), cultural magnets like Shea’s Buffalo Theatre and the Troy Music Hall, and in Main Streets, trails, rural roads and waterways throughout the state. The Heritage Areas encompass some of the state’s most significant natural, historic, and cultural resources, as well as the people and programs that keep them vital. Whether you are seeking to stimulate your mind, exercise
your muscles, or delight your senses, you’ll find something to enjoy at a Heritage Area. Bike along the Canalway trail, take an amphibious ride on an Albany Aqua Duck, or stroll through Schenectady’s Stockade Historic District. Check out the local talent at a riverside concert or a downtown gallery. Sample the regional bounty at a farmer’s market and savor traditional recipes at an ethnic festival. Shop along Main Street, contemplate an exhibit, play in the park. All these experiences and more await you at New York’s nineteen Heritage Areas, where we invite you to explore the rich legacy of the past and look into the future! Check out the next issue of TouringNY for more Heritage Area attractions.
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photo: Seneca County Tourism
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NYS Dept. of Economic Development
photo: City of Rochester
New York State’s Heritage Areas invite you to explore special places and stories that honor history and celebrate the Empire State experience.
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heading for Husdson
Crossing
by Judy Schmidt-Dean
The Grand Canal Journey of the Lois McClure will enable the communities along the Erie Canalway to rediscover the importance of the canal in their local history and in their nation’s history.
photo: Eric Bessette, LCMM
The Lois McClure and her crew are not strangers to the Champlain Canal. In 2005, on the “Grand Journey Between the Green Mountains and Manhattan”, the canal schooner spent some time here in
Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
Schuylerville, at Lock C5. This year, Hudson Crossing, the Bi-County Educational Park located on Lock C5 Island, will host the Lois McClure at its new docking facilities and Play Garden.
Hudson Crossing is the brain child of Marlene and Alan Bissell, owners of General Schuyler’s Pantry and Internet Café in Schuylerville. The Hudson Crossing project is developing a unique and comprehensive educational and recreational destination on Lock C5 Island which borders both Saratoga and Washington Counties. The Master Plan of July 16, 2005 calls for a multigenerational play garden, day use docking facilities for kayaks and canoes, improvements and developments of the bicycle and hiking trails linking the historic Champlain Canal Towpath to
Saratoga Co. and Washington Co. trail systems, passive recreation opportunities with picnicking, fishing and Hudson River overlooks, and a proposed whitewater play park. The centerpiece will be the Hudson Crossing Environmental Education and Conference Center, built utilizing state of the art “green architecture” and innovative energy resources. Marlene’s energy and enthusiasm radiate from her. “I love to build things,” she says as she coordinates the army of volunteers, corporate and government sponsors all coming together to see the project to its end. The work for the 2007 construction season, to complete the play garden and dock facilities, has been funded in part by the New York State Canal Corp. through their Erie Canal Greenway Grant Program. The play garden is unique to the Erie Canalway, combining the natural beauty of the Island and Canalway with the fun of a hillside slide, carved wooden mushrooms, a willow tree tunnel, stone boulder and sand play areas, a human and mosaic sundial, a garden labyrinth and a large picnic pavilion. The day use docking facilities will give kayaker and canoeist an easy spot to launch and experience the Hudson River and Champlain Canalway as they haven’t before. The dock will also host community and educational boating events like the Lois McClure or vessels like the NYS educational tugboat, the Urger. Sept 15 brings the Lois McClure and will highlight the day’s Hudson Crossing Festival and bring residents and visitors
alike to the Grand Opening of the play garden and docking facilities. While the crew of the Lois McClure will be giving tours all day long, the Hudson Crossing Festival will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:00 am and continue until 3:00 pm. There will be live music, boat rides, a horse drawn carriage, St. Stephen’s Church Chicken BBQ and exhibitors and booths. These booths include our communities’ educational, environmental, municipal, and historic and heritage tourism organizations. In the evening, between 6:30 and 8:00 pm a fundraising event to benefit Hudson Crossing will take place onboard the Lois McClure. The Village of Schuylerville will hold numerous events as well. There will be Fair in Ft. Hardy Park, which sits between the banks of the historic Champlain Canal and Towpath and the current Champlain Canal. A water taxi, the M/V Sadie, from the fleet of the Champlain Canal Tour Boats, will run people from the Schuyler Yacht Basin, across from Ft. Hardy Park, up to Hudson Crossing to see and tour the Lois McClure. An Art Show and Sale will fill the streets of the Village with local shops and restaurants catering to those looking to shop and eat. The Grand Canal Journey of the Lois McClure will enable the communities along the Erie Canalway to rediscover the importance of the canal in their local history and of their nation’s history. But, as in the case of Schuylerville and Hudson Crossing, it is also a chance to celebrate their present and work toward their future.
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touring along the hudson river: Albany,N Y By Kathleen M. Quandt The natural beauty of the Hudson River is embraced in Albany, New York State’s capital city, where festivals, musical performances and recreational activities connect a city to its origins. In 1609, Henry Hudson set sail on a voyage of discovery and explored the river that now bears his name. In 2009, our community will embark on a journey of four centuries of history as we celebrate the Quadricentennial of our founding by European explorers. Albany’s Hudson River Way provides the link that connects visitors to the Hudson River, and to Albany’s past and its future. The Hudson River Way is a pedestrian walkway that begins in downtown Albany near where the Hudson River edge once was and continues to its current banks at Riverfront Park. One of the most significant features of the Hudson River Way is its illustration of Albany’s history through a series of original paintings executed in trompe l’oeil technique that replicate the style of 17th century Dutch artists. The magnificent architecture of the downtown district creates a breathtaking backdrop at the riverfront, beckoning visitors to explore the city’s heritage. In Riverfront Park and throughout the city, special events that take place spring, summer and fall highlight the history and culture of the region. The Albany Aqua Ducks, New York State’s only amphibious vehicle, offers guided tours on land followed by a “splashdown” in the Hudson River. Albany Alive at Five, the Father’s Day Pops Concert, and the Riverfront Jazz Festival are annual free concerts that attract thousands to the waterfront. Cycling enthusiasts take part in the Annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal and the Annual Cycling the Erie Canal bike tours
September brings the return of the Half Moon, a reproduction of Henry Hudson’s ship of exploration, to the Riverfront. photos: Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc.
which begin or end in Albany’s Riverfront Park. September brings the return of the Half Moon, a reproduction of Henry Hudson’s ship of exploration, to the riverfront for school and public tours. The Albany Heritage Area, one of nineteen Heritage Areas and Corridors that preserve, interpret and promote special places in New York State, assists first-time explorers and repeat visitors as they begin their Albany experience. The Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center maintains travel brochures about the region and has knowledgeable staff to answer questions. Within the Center are a history exhibit gallery, the
ys to Great Waany! Tour Alb
Visitors and locals alike enjoy a free concert along the Hudson River at Albany’s Riverfront Park.
Henry Hudson Planetarium, and a Gift Shop offering unique Albany souvenirs. Self-guided walking tours, seasonal guided tours and a video presentation designed to provide an orientation to the city are offered. For more information about visiting Albany, please contact: Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center Quackenbush Square
(corner of Broadway and Clinton Avenue) Parking is free in our lot accessible from Broadway via Spencer Street (518) 434-0405 or 1-800-258-3582 www.albany.org Monday through Friday, 9:00am – 4:00 pm Saturday through Sunday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
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ALBANY AQUA DUCKS
Experience the SPLASHDOWN! Tour by land and water in these new amphibious vehicles! 518-462-DUCK 462-3825 Charters available.
Albany Trolleys
A division of the Albany Aqua Ducks, features on/off historic tours, special educational and recreational tours; charters for weddings and all special occasions. 518-462-3825
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
Schenectady’s stockade district By Maureen Gebert The magic of a colonial village is still alive in this historic community in upstate New York. Quaint 200-year old houses sit next to Victorian homes and rambling mansions. A variety of architectural styles make Schenectady the first historic district in New York State. The Stockade, a charming Schenectady neighborhood on the banks of the Mohawk River, is the site of the original village of Schenectady. Founded in 1661 by Dutchman Adrent Van Curler, the Stockade was named after the wooden fences that originally surrounded the tiny settlement until 1800. In 1661, the heart of the village was at Church and Union Streets. Within the four surrounding blocks were fourteen homes, their kitchen gardens, the Dutch Reformed Church and a longhouse for visiting Native Americans. In 1690 nearly the entire village was destroyed by Frenchmen from the north and their Native American allies in an effort to win control of the new world. Of its then 300 residents, sixty were killed and twenty-seven taken prisoner. It was with the encouragement of Native American Lawrence and other local Iroquois that the residents rebuilt. A few steps from the intersection of Church and Union Streets are two of the oldest homes in Schenectady. Number 17 Front Street was built in the late 1600’s on the foundation of a house that was destroyed in the massacre of 1690. A secret tunnel in the basement leads to the river. It was the home of Hendrick Brouwer, fur trader. The Abraham Yates home at 109 Union Street was built in the 18th century. It is said to be the only Dutch city house in the country with its original façade in a “butterfly” brick pattern.
The Stockade, a charming Schenectady neighborhood on the banks of the Mohawk River, is the site of the original village of Schenectady. photos: Maureen Gebert
Across the street the massive Greek Revival building was the 1833 County Courthouse and jail. A short walk along Union Street leads to two massive
brownstones, built, according to the dates carved on the side of one of the buildings, in 1884. These were the homes of the Ellis brothers, both presidents of American Locomotive
Company. Next door and across the street are the former homes of Cadwaller and Jethro Clute. The Clute Brothers Foundry built parts for the USS Monitor. They also experimented
Washington Avenue House
Van Epps Doorway
Subway House
with building torpedoes and tested them in the nearby Mohawk River. The Czar of Russia numbered among their customers. North Ferry Street was the easternmost wall of the first stockade. The Widow Kendall house at #10 is enchanting with its crooked doors and low windows. Further along is St. George’s Episcopal Church, the oldest church in the Mohawk Valley. At the end of the block stands the statue of Lawrence, the Native American who helped the settlers rebuild after the massacre. North Ferry Street leads to the Mohawk River. At the foot of the street is the Pump House which originally pumped water from the river into the city. On the side of the building is a marker indicating the height of the floods since the pump house was built. Along Front Street are several interesting sites. The large building on the eastern corner of Governor’s Lane was the home of Governor Yates, first Mayor of Schenectady in 1798 and fourth governor of New York State. His office was in the small addition on the left. Further along is a little cottage with a plaque indicating it was the site of the first subway in 1857. A long trench was dug from where the bridge met Washington Street and connected with State Street affording the horses an easier incline for pulling the ca rriages and locomotives to the main roads. The Stockade is filled with many stories and unique architecture. A stop at the Historical Society on Washington Avenue will provide more detailed information and walking tour brochures for this very special place. Guided tours can be arranged through the Schenectady Heritage Area (518-382-5147).
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RiverSpark-the crossroads of new york state by P. Thomas Carroll, PhD If you want to learn what turned New York into the Empire State, then you have to visit RiverSpark, the attractive Heritage Area with the cutesy name. New York State’s earliest Heritage Area, it earned that nickname because two different kinds of water ignited the industrial revolution there. Augmented by the artificial rivers known as the Erie and Champlain Canals, the horizontal water of the Hudson River made the locale a natural spot for water-based trade and
photo: Denise Scammell
migration. In many respects, it was the O’Hare Airport of 1830. Only minutes on foot from those bustling commercial centers, falling water over the breathtaking Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk River, and along the Poestenkill and the Wynantskill in Troy, provided power for some of the most impressive early factories in the nation. That combination helped make the region the prototype for the urbanindustrial society that rural America would become by the twentieth century. In many ways, the attractions of today— architectural gems, industrial museums, social and cultural
sites, and recreational features— derive from those nationallysignificant beginnings. In so many ways, the region at the confluence of the Hudson and the Mohawk Rivers was the Silicon Valley of the nineteenth century. Just as Austin, Texas, and its competitors attract the entrepreneurs of our day, two centuries ago a young adult eager to relocate to where the future was happening would look to a city like Troy as an eminently desirable location. For precisely that reason, for example, in 1789 Samuel Wilson walked to Troy from his family’s home in Mason, New Hampshire, destined to make a name for himself as a genial meatpacker and enterprising merchant and to become the basis for the nation’s national symbol, Uncle Sam. Herman Melville wrote his first two novels there. Thousands of others joined them, creating a boom that made Troy the fourth wealthiest city in the nation, on a per capita basis, by the time of the 1840 Census. You’ve undoubtedly heard many of the bells made in the area, which cranked out over a hundred thousand such objects over a century and a half, including the replacement for the cracked Liberty Bell. The region also produced the deck plates for the USS Monitor, the material for the cables on the George Washington Bridge, the stainless steel spire for the Chrysler Building, and the first printing of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. You or your ancestors may well have worn Arrow collars or shirts, used Burden horseshoes, or eaten Freihofer’s baked goods, all of which originated there. And millions of people who now
live in the Midwestern United States can trace their ancestry to people who migrated west along the Erie Canal. The wealth generated from all that energy made possible a marvelous legacy of urban architecture, including a music hall with world-class acoustics and one of the best samplers of Tiffany windows anywhere in the world. Martin Scorsese filmed much of The Age of Innocence there, and it has been the location for a dozen other major films. Let two historic rivers spark your next vacation. Come to Cohoes, Colonie, Green Island, Troy, Waterford, and Watervliet, the communities of RiverSpark, to see all this for yourself. It’s the genuine article, where nationally significant things really happened. Today it is the poster child for the trend toward New Urbanism, an antidote to sprawl. Charming shops and eateries, art galleries and antiques stores, numerous festivals and strolls, and an award-winning farmers market will all beckon you. Four visitor centers are there to assist you, in Cohoes at the Music Hall (518237-7999), in downtown Troy (518-270-8667), right at the eastern gateway to the Canal in Waterford (518-233-9123), and at the Peebles Island Resource Center (518-237-7000). Look online at www.riverspark. org. A little-known corner of American history awaits you.
For canal festivals and events go to touringny.com and click on canal festivals.
photo: William Gill
photo: Sid Brown
Left: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Troy, with an entire interior by Tiffany Studios. Top: The stunning Cohoes Falls, the second most powerful waterfall east of the Mississippi River. Middle: The famed Rice Building, site of one of the pivotal scenes from Scorsese’s Age of Innocence. Bottom: A quarter million Arrow shirts a week were produced at this historic site along the Hudson River.
photo: Greg La Civita
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
MVHCC Full page 2007
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www.mvhcc.org
Saratoga County 1-800-526-8970 www.saratoga.org 518-371-7748 www.southernsaratoga.org
Albany County 1-800-258-3582 www.albany.org
Schenectady County 1-800-962-8007 www.sayschenectady.org
Schoharie County 1-800-418-4748 www.schohariechamber.com
Fulton County 1-800-676-3858 www.44lakes.com
Montgomery County 1-800-743-7337 www.montgomerycountyny.com
"River Flowing Through Mountains"
Herkimer County 1-877-984-4636 www.herkimercountychamber.com
Oneida County
T
he Erie Canalway follows the path of the Mohawk River, winding between the Adirondacks and Catskill Mountains on one of the oldest travel corridors in America.
Our eight counties cover one-sixth the area of New York State. In this valley, history is a part of daily life. Visit fortified homes and hallowed battlegrounds where the American Revolution was fought one farm at a time. Look for fossils, dig for diamonds, cool off in caves far underground. Have fun at the waterfront in canal festivals all summer long. Hang out in our 203 communities, where something is always happening.
Discover the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor
1-800-426-3132 ww.oneidacountycvb.com
Communities across the Mohawk Valley will be holding special celebrations to mark the arrival of the Lois McClure. Check the website for the most updated calendar of events. www.lcmm.org. OTHER SUMMER ACTIVITIES: UTICA MONDAY NITES, a summer-long celebration of Arts & Heritage www.uticamondaynite.com ALIVE AT FIVE. Albany Riverfront Concerts, Thursday nights, Jun 7–Aug 16 www.albanyevents.org SARATOGA BATTLEFIELD GUIDED BIKE TOURS, Jun 20, Jul 18, Aug 15. www.nps.gov/sara CYCLING THE ERIE CANAL BICYCLE TOUR July 8-15 www.ptny.org/canaltour/index.shtml LOCK 7-12 CANALFEST, Montgomery & Schenectady Counties. July 14-15 www.lock7-12canalfest.com IROQUOIS INDIAN MUSEUM, Corn Celebration & Farm Tours, July 14 www.schohariechamber.com ESPN BASS CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REGIONAL FISHING TOURNAMENT, Mayfield. July 20 & 21 www.44lakes.com GREAT AMERICAN IRISH FESTIVAL, Herkimer Co Fairgrounds, Frankfort, July 27-29 www.gaif.us 2ND ANNUAL CANAL SPLASH, NY Canal Corporation, Aug 10-12 www.nyscanals.gov THE ARKELL MUSEUM AT CANAJOHARIE, opening August www.arkellmuseum.com
Waterways, wars, wheels and women
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
photo: Barbara Henderson
by Barbara Henderson Across 150 miles of farmland, river towns and small cities – from Schenectady to Port Ontario, explore the most beautiful valleys in revolutionary history! Traveling along routes 5, 49, 69 and 13, with a loop to Johnstown via Route 30A, the Revolutionary Byway tells the fascinating and constantly evolving story of New York State and the development of the American Nation. WATERWAYS supplied a critical link for travel and exploration. Initially, the Mohawk River was the only water-level passage
from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. In 1825 the Erie Canal opened between Albany and Buffalo, thus establishing New York City as the country’s premier eastern seaport. This engineering marvel facilitated the development of many new technologies and opened the way for westward migration. WARS forced the fledgling roots of American democracy to grow stronger and deeper. Many skirmishes were fought along the frontiers during the French & Indian and the Revolutionary Wars. Conflicts at Oriskany and Fort Stanwix favored the patriots
Cayuga Lake Wine Trail
and ultimately contributed to their final crucial victory at Saratoga. WHEELS became the driving force behind change as railroads replaced canal boats, gears fueled the Industrial Revolution and tractors took the place of horse drawn plows. Major birthplaces of American technical ingenuity are located along this route where Thomas Edison and other pioneers converted theoretical ideas into reality. Today, this trend continues as entrepreneurial companies discover the enticing qualities of life available throughout this unique region. Rte. 28 • Raquette Lake, NY 13436 315-354-4441 2730 Rte. 28 • Old Forge, NY 13420 315-369-2136 Rte. 28 • Eagle Bay, NY 13331 315-357-5302 e-mail: www.adkmtnpro@eagle-wireless.com
Sales & Rentals e-mail: adklands@telenet.net website: www.birdsadkrealestate.com
“Serving the real estate needs of the Adirondacks for over 30 years”
WOMEN fought to protect their families and for rights as equal citizens. Molly Brant, Mohawk wife of Sir William Jonhson, played an important role in keeping the peace between European and Native American cultures. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony worked for temperance and abolitionist causes, while Rose Knox instituted the revolutionary policy of a five-day work week and paid vacation for factory workers. From the meandering curves of the Mohawk River to the cascades of Salmon River Falls; from the intriguing potholes of Moss Island, formed by ancient swirling waters, to the amazing flora and fauna of Rome Sand Plains, which was once a great inland lake; from small hometown celebrations to world class performances at the Stanley and Proctor sister theaters; from cozy farmhouses tucked among gently rolling hills to architectural jewels; from pre-Revolutionary
Lakefront • Commercial • Lots • Homes • Camps
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Rte. 28, Raquette Lake, NY 315-354-4441 • Rte. 28, Old Forge, NY 315-369-2136
homesteads and battle sites to the struggle for women’s rights; from Edison’s first turbines and electrical experiments to cutting edge nanotechnologies, this route holds the key to New York State’s and America’s transition from a rugged countryside to a global power. For more information on specific sites, call: Fulton County (800-676-3858) Herkimer County (877-984-4636) Montgomery County (800-743-737) Oneida County (800-426-3132) Oswego County (800-248-4386) Schenectady County (800-962-9007) Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission (518-673-1045)
Explore the Erie Canal! You're the Captain of your own Canalboat or
We’re the Captain on a 3-Day Cruise Mid-Lakes Navigation Company 1-800-545-4318 Visit us at www.midlakesnav.com
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A Living Artifact The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse by Erin Bartolo The first shovelful of dirt was dug on the Fourth of July. That groundbreaking marked a new direction for the country since the Erie Canal opened untapped access to the interior of the continent. It became the primary trade route from New York’s Hudson River to the Great Lakes, as well as the gateway to the frontier lands of the west. Small towns located on its banks enjoyed an era of growth and prosperity. This was particularly true for Syracuse. The Erie Canal provided a fast and easy transportation route for salt, an abundant local resource, helping turn Syracuse into one of New York State’s largest cities. Syracuse grew from 1,814 people in 1820 to 22,271 in 1850. Centrally located on the 363-mile trade route, the city was transformed from a small agriculture town to a manufacturing center, port city and transportation hub – a city that salt built. The Canal left its mark on Syracuse; its impact goes beyond its actual use for transportation, which continued through the center of downtown through the 1920s. Since the Erie Canal opened almost two centuries ago, it has proven an impetus for the growth of the nation and for a small agricultural town called Syracuse. Today, the canal and the city continue to evolve and prosper together. The monumental impact of the Erie Canal on American history remains. The Erie Canal gained an international reputation as a 19th century engineering marvel, a symbol of American ingenuity, growth, and progress. Syracuse is an apex for international engineering firms in the 21st century. The canals not only facilitated the movement of people, but also the spread of ideas and social reforms, such as the abolition of slavery and the
advocacy of women’s rights. With the highest concentration of students in the United States per capita – 130,000 students in 35 colleges and universities – central New York continues to generate and mobilize ideas. The Erie Canal turned Clinton Square from a junction for the north-south and eastwest transportation routes into the center of downtown Syracuse. Today, Clinton Square traces its past and mobilizes its future. It houses monuments commemorating the Civil War and the role of Syracuse as an antislavery city. During the months of winter, the tradition of ice skating on the former canal continues on its reflecting pool. Festivals fill the square from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Erie Canal and its connecting waterways draw thousands each year, but for a different purpose than trade. The inviting waterfronts of the Erie Canal are a tourist
in its urban center
The Erie Canal turned Clinton Square from a junction for the north-south and east-west transportation routes into the center of downtown Syracuse. attraction in the Greater Syracuse area for year-long activities. Syracuse remains at the center of the remarkable 524-mile New York State Canal System. Syracuse is one of only a few urban stops on the Canal today. The role of Syracuse in developing the Erie Canal was unique then and its role as an attraction on the Erie Canal is unique now. High-style architecture followed the booming industry that followed the Erie Canal. Many of the handsome buildings that graced its shores still stand. One building is a
must-see. The 1850s historic Weighlock Building is the only surviving canal boat weigh station; listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was the junction between the Erie Canal and Oswego Canal. It is home to the Syracuse Heritage Area Visitor Center and the Erie Canal Museum. The Erie Canal Museum sits on a stretch of the Old Erie Canal that has been paved over to become Erie Boulevard. Inside the museum, visitors can board a 65-foot canal packet boat and experience canal life as it was in the 1800s. It features interactive exhibits and expert
information on the history of the canal. The Syracuse Heritage Area theater seats fifty to view a multimedia production. In addition to its permanent collection, the Museum hosts special events and exhibits throughout the year, including two floors of exhibits and a full-sized reproduction of a canal boat.
“As an organ of communication between the Hudson, the Mississippi, the St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes of the north and west on their tributary rivers, it will create the greatest inland trade ever witnessed.” DeWitt Clinton Governor of New York Father of the Erie Canal
photo: Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau
Clinton Square, Syracuse
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Oswego Shipbuilding comes full circle
by Janet Clerkin The beautiful expanse of shoreline where the Oswego River empties into Lake Ontario presents a striking view to visitors and residents alike. The city’s name is said to have originated from a Native American phrase meaning the “pouring-out place,” or the “place where the waters meet.” The location inspired the setting for James Fenimore Cooper’s The Pathfinder or The Inland Sea. The port became a focal point of struggle during the French and Indian War when William Shirley, Governor of Massachusetts, established the first English shipyard on the Great Lakes in Oswego in 1755. Food was scarce and the winters were brutal. Deserters were executed. Despite extremely difficult conditions, the Ontario was launched from the east side of the harbor June 28, 1755. Other ships were quickly launched, but moving men and materials to Oswego was a dangerous undertaking. In May 1756, 12 carpenters and sawyers were captured, scalped and otherwise tortured on the Mohawk River. Most of the British fleet was burned by the French, but trading of furs and salt from Onondaga Lake provided a lively commerce, and after the Revolution schooners and keelboats began operating on the lake. The first merchant ship built in Oswego was the Linda, launched in 1804 by Matthew McNair, a Scottish immigrant. The United States Navy commissioned the 16gun brig Oneida, its first ship built at Oswego, in 1808. Its launching was celebrated with a frontier ball. Midshipman James Fenimore Cooper was stationed in Oswego during this period. His eloquent descriptions of navigating Lake Ontario in
Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
and immediately convinced observers of the advantages of screw propulsion. By the mid-1850s, the main streets along Oswego’s waterfront were lined with hundreds of businesses – machine and ship smithing, liquors and groceries, clothing, Top: The OMF Ontario is Oswego’s youngest ship. The 85-foot topsail schooner is being built by a dedicated group of volunteers to be used as a floating classroom for studying the Great Lakes history and ecosystems. Left: Children line the bow of the Charley Ferris, a steam tug built in 1884 at the Goble shipyard. It was one of the last vessels built at the shipyard. Bottom: The Vandalia, built in Oswego in 1841, revolutionized shipping on the Great Lakes. Its screw propeller, designed by Swedish inventor John Ericsson, allowed vessels to navigate through the Welland Canal and other narrow passages. Ships could travel from Oswego to Cleveland and beyond without breaking cargo. photos: Oswego Marine Foundation and Oswego County Historical Society Collection
The Pathfinder were drawn from his Oswego journals. However, Oswego’s shallow harbor prevented the Oneida from re-entering, and the Navy moved its shipbuilding activities north to Sacketts Harbor. In 1814 the British sent a fleet from Kingston to capture salt and other supplies at Oswego; 19 British were killed and 13 Americans were lost in battle or died later from their wounds. The community quickly rebounded with the cessation of hostilities. Work on the Oswego Canal began on Independence Day, 1826. Lumber, salt, grain, manufactured goods and passengers could be transported across the Erie Canal and north through the Oswego Canal,
where schooners and steamers carried them to Lake Erie and beyond. Daily packets on the canal brought passengers from Syracuse and Utica. “Shipping became a major industry and was the primary source of transportation for trade between the United States and Canada during the early 19th century.” One of the most significant developments in Great Lakes shipping was the Vandalia, the first screw-propelled steamship built on the U.S. side of the lakes. Its engine was designed by John Ericsson, the Swedish inventor who later designed the Monitor. The Vandalia was built in 1841 at the Doolittle shipyard on Water Street,
illustration: Anthony J. Slosek
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boots and shoes, lime, salt and plaster merchants, ship chandlers, hardware and boat lamps, grain warehouses, and lumber merchants. There were 38 hotels and rooming houses in business in 1852-53. On May 6, 1856, three schooners – the Titan, the E.W. Cross and the Dreadnaught – were launched on the same day from the Goble shipyard at the foot of West First Street. Owned by an Irish immigrant, the shipyard produced 39 vessels between 1854 and 1912. One shipyard alone, the MillerKitts-Monroe on the east side, employed 100 men year-round in 1859. The expansion of the railroads, among other factors, led to the decline of shipping and shipbuilding in Oswego. An 1892 fire destroyed several grain elevators on the east side and many businesses never recovered. By the 1ate 1890s, shipbuilding had been replaced by the construction of smaller boats for leisure purposes. “Every wealthy family owned a yacht and the Oswego Yacht Club was
formed around that time.” The Yacht Club guest book, with signatures of Theodore Roosevelt, Andrew Carnegie and other distinguished guests, is displayed in the H. Lee White Marine Museum at the foot of West First Street. The museum contains an extensive collection on Great Lakes shipping and shipbuilding, including the contents of a captain’s cabin from an 1870s Great Lakes cargo ship. Other sections are devoted to the Oswego Canal, War of 1812, and the Underground Railroad in Oswego County. And now shipbuilding in Oswego has come full circle at the nearby site of the Goble shipyard, where the Oswego Maritime Foundation is
315 building the OMF Ontario. When complete, the 85-foot topsail schooner will be used as a floating classroom dedicated to Great Lakes history, resources and ecosystems. “It will be the only ship of its type of U.S. registry on Lake Ontario, dedicated specifically to public service,” said OMF volunteer Philip Church. “The ship is sailed every weekend during the summer to test its seaworthiness, and many of the interior details are being completed.” Eventually, said Church, the Maritime Foundation hopes to fully restore the Goble drydock and build a marine information center on the west side of the harbor.
For information: Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning www.visitoswegocounty.com Phone 1-800-248-4FUN H. Lee White Marine Museum www.hleewhitemarinemuseum.com Phone 315-342-0480 Oswego Maritime Foundation www.oswegomaritime.org
Welcome to Syracuse, New York. Where a young nation put down roots, and where you will find pieces of America’s past in our colorful history and heritage.
Among our many opportunities to experience life on the world’s most famous canal, you can visit The Erie Canal Museum, housed in the historic 1850 Weighlock Building, which is listed on our National Register of Historic Places. The Camillus Erie Canal Park provides 300 acres that include a restored section of the canal, nine miles of trails and two picnic areas. Our own Mid-Lakes Navigation, Ltd., has been in the business of traveling the Erie Canal since 1968, with everything from day, Sunday brunch and dinner cruises to multi-day specialty trips. We’re a year-round destination, with a treasure trail of attractions. Visit Carousel Center, the largest and most innovative shopping complex in the Northeastern United States or stroll through downtown’s historic Armory Square, filled with a variety of boutiques and specialty shops.
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
A Grand Canal Journey LAKE ONTARIO
Oswego
ERIE CANAL
Canada
North Tonawanda
Lockport
50 Kilometers North
0
50 Miles
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Illustration: Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
photo: Bob Eddy
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Seneca Falls
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Women’s Rights National Historical Park
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site 0 0
0
Lyons
Buffalo
90North
50 Kilometers Erie Canalway National Heritage 50 Miles Corridor
Fult
Rochester
Albion
Tonawanda
LAKE ERIE
North
OSWEGO CANAL
50 Kilometers 50 Miles
Geneva
Cayuga Lake
Seneca Lake Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
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Canals operating Canals operating Erie Canalway Nineteenth-century today today National Heritagecanals Corridor
CAYUGA
Canals operating today Ithaca
Watkins Glen
Nineteenth-century canals
ew York’s canal system has been in continuous operation since 1825, longer than any other 86 constructed transportation system on the continent. It embodies an unbroken tradition of living waterways. The canal schooner Lois McClure will carry on this tradition and recapture history as it makes its “Grand Canal Journey” through the New York State Canal System in 2007. The faithful reproduction will travel waterways that canal boats plied during the heyday of the canal era and stop at historic ports along the way. Canal communities will celebrate their distinct contribution to the canal culture by creating their own events which will embrace the arrival of the Lois McClure at their ports. Tours of the Lois McClure and interpretive presentations,wayside exhibits and educational materials will be provided free to the public at each stop. Make sure you are dockside when the Lois McClure arrives at the port-of-call nearest you.
Lake Champlain
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Oneida Lake
Fort Stanwix National Monument
Rome
Utica
VT
Glens Falls Fort Edward
ERIE CANAL Little Falls
Syracuse
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Saratoga National Historical Park
Fonda
Fultonville
A-SENECA CANAL
Schuylerville
Amsterdam Waterford
Schenectady
Troy
Albany
MASS 90
PORTS-OF-CALL* 2-3 JULY 7-8 JULY 10-11 JULY 14 JULY 17-18 JULY 21-22 JULY 24-25 JULY 28-29 JULY 31-1 JULY/AUG. 4-5 81 AUGUST 7-8 AUGUST 11-12 AUGUST 17-18 AUGUST
NEW
ITHACA SENECA FALLS GENEVA LYONS PITTSFORD MEDINA LOCKPORT BUFFALO TONAWANDA BROCKPORT ROCHESTER PALMYRA SYRACUSE
21-22 26-27 29 30** 31**-1 2** 4 7-9 11-12 15-16 18-19 21-22 24
YORK
Hudson River
ton
Whitehall
CHAMPLAIN CANAL
o
AUGUST AUGUST AUGUST AUGUST AUGUST/SEPT. SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 87 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
OSWEGO ROME UTICA HERKIMER LITTLE FALLS CANAJOHARIE AMSTERDAM WATERFORD TUGBOAT ROUNDUP ALBANY SCHUYLERVILLE FORT EDWARD WHITEHALL BASIN HARBOR, VT
*as of 1/2/07 ** evening only
For canal festivals and events go to tourningny.com and click on canal festivals.
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
Experience Heritage …along the Erie Canal in Western New York by Pamela Pollock For visitors and regional residents following the Lois McClure through Western New York, the region offers a wealth of additional attractions and unique experiences along the canal and beyond. This canal section stretches from the Montezuma swamp to the Niagara River traversing Wayne, Monroe, Orleans, Niagara and Erie Counties. Its unique history and sense of place earned it designation as a New York State Heritage Corridor in 1999. Western New York communities boomed overnight when the waterway opened in 1825. With subsequent enlargements of the canal and its eventual conversion to the Barge Canal in the
photo: Pamela Pollack
early twentieth century, many sections of the waterway were re-aligned. Today, however, most western New York communities are fortunate to retain their original orientation to the canal which gave them life. Village Main Streets are located just steps from the water. Sixteen lift bridges along the corridor are a reflection of the close connection between the canal and community life. Once the canal was open, produce from the incredibly fertile land in western New York could be shipped economically to the east coast and beyond. Rochester became known as the “Flour City” producing flour that Queen Victoria reportedly favored. Farmers found that growing conditions for fruit were ideal along the ridge of the Niagara Escarpment and barrels
and hospitality…
of apples became a common sight on Erie Canal docks and barges. Today the agricultural heritage of the region provides an exceptional opportunity for summer travelers. Farm fields, orchards, farm houses and barns still define the rural landscape. Farmer’s markets and pick-your-own locations abound. One place to experience western New York’s agricultural heritage is Hurd Orchards on Ridge Road in Holley, Orleans County. This 200 year-old fruit farm features heritage orchards surrounding an historic barn and farm store selling gourmet preserves and dried flower creations. Another opportunity for experiencing the heritage of the region is the Erie Canalway Trail-the longest trail section
currently complete across the state with over 90 miles of continuous trail from Newark to Lockport. Available for hiking and bicycling, and for rollerblading and horseback riding in some locations, this trail is often aligned with the original mule towpath and traverses many historic canal communities. Staying in accommodations along the trail, summer visitors enjoy a parade of contemporary canal life. An ideal location to watch the world go by on the path and the water (and to see the adjacent historic lift bridge in action) is the Adams Basin Inn just west of Spencerport in Monroe County. This bed and breakfast is an original canal-era building that served as a tavern, general store and rail station over time. The Greek Revival
portion of the house was added in the 1850s and features elegant, period-appropriate furnishings. A wrap-around back porch facing the canal offers wicker chairs for peoplewatching. Traveling on either the land trail, water trail or by automobile through the heritage corridor, you can see many spectacular engineering challenges that the original canal builders faced. They include the Great Embankment in Perinton, the Rochester Aqueduct (which now carries Broad Street over the Genesee River), the Holley embankment, and the Flight of Five in Lockport. Another novelty is the only location where a road passes under the canal – Culvert Road just east of the Village of Medina.
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For more information about the Western Erie Canal Heritage Corridor: www.eriecanalheritage.com For more information about Hurd Orchards’ pick-your-own calendar and other events: www.hurdorchards.com
Finger Lakes Region • Lake Ontario • Erie Canal
New York’s
Erie Canal getaway
For information about the Adams Basin Inn: www.adamsbasininn.com For information about many other agritourism opportunities in western New York: www.waynecountytourism.com www.orleanscountytourism.com www.visitrochester.com www.niagara-usa.com www.niagarawinetrail.org www.concordgrapebelt.org
Explore the canaltowns
of Wayne County ■ ■ ■
Left: Aldrich Change Bridge is one of only two remaining Erie Canal change bridges.
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Right: Find traces of the original canal all across the region.
Charming Canal Villages Unique Museums Explore the Past, Great Fishing Reconnect with Nature, and Nature Trails Restore Your Soul. Farm Markets
Mid-Lakes Erie Macedon Landing Full Service Marina
Bottom: Hurd Orchard is a 200 year-old fruit farm featuring heritage orchards surrounding an historic barn and farm store selling gourmet preserves and dried flower creations.
Self-skippered Canalboat Rentals • www.macedonlanding.com the Erie Canal across Wayne County in Macedon, Palmyra, Newark, Lyons & Clyde
Macedon
Clyde Palmyra
Newark ■
Nature Trails
800-527-6510 photo: Pamela Pollack
photo: Pamela Pollack
To Syracuse
l
To Ithaca
ri
To Rochester
Great Fishing
Lyons eC an a
Throughout Wayne County are excellent opportunities to view operating Barge Canal structures juxtaposed with historic features from the canal’s Enlargement Era c. 1850. In Newark, for example, turning north onto Clinton Street off Route 31 reveals both Barge Canal Lock 28B and Enlargement Lock 59. The Aldrich Change Bridge is one of only two remaining Erie Canal change bridges. It has been preserved and reassembled in a park just west of Palmyra where visitors can walk over the bridge and view the significant Squire Whipple-designed iron truss bridge up close.
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www.waynecountytourism.com
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“beautiful falls:” West
photo: Jan McGraw
By Jan McGraw Nature and history come together at the Trenton Falls Scenic Trail north of Utica and Herkimer on the West Canada Creek. Last fall was my first (but surely not my last) visit to this picturesque former tourist mecca. Trenton Falls is actually a succession of falls spanning less than a mile in the Trenton Gorge. Brookfield Power, the present owner, and the Town of Trenton, developed the Trail for the public to experience the beautiful falls, besides observing the hydroelectric operations and learning about the area’s intriguing history. Several thousand people visit the restricted area each year. It was a perfect day in the making when my brother and sister-in-law called to invite me to accompany them. The Trail is fairly easy walking (a few people had baby carriages). The main trail is stone dust. Secondary wood mulch trails take you to the edge of the Gorge to see
three of the lower falls prior to following the main trail to the Hydro Dam and Mill Dam Falls. You’ll want to plan a couple of hours. Total walking is about a mile and a half, with volunteers on hand along the way to answer questions and interpretive signs that tell the area’s story. Trenton Gorge spans about 2.5 miles and the series of rapids and waterfalls drop the West Canada’s waters more than 300’. There are actually seven falls. Looking across the Gorge to the east, I was struck that there wasn’t anything built by man in sight, not even a telephone pole. Even though we were in the company of many others, I didn’t appreciate the beauty any less and enjoyed conversing with people we met. We spent a few minutes speculating with one gentleman as to what purpose the supports alongside the Trail once served. We finally surmised they held the old huge hydro-pipes. I was fascinated thinking about the trains crossing above the Gorge via the old railroad bridge. It looked a little frightening! In the 1800s, Trenton Falls was a well-known, popular tourist attraction. John Sherman, a Connecticut pastor, came to the area in the early 1800s. In 1822, he opened a small, rustic resort. People came by horse and carriage
Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
Canada Creek
for many years. In 1851, his daughter and son-in-law built a hotel that was eventually expanded to a 100-room, firstclass resort, reachable by rail. The hotel became a destination of the “rich and famous.” A photograph taken at the Falls in 1863 includes William H. Seward (Secretary of State) and foreign ministers from England, Russia, Nicaragua, France, Italy and Sweden. Their meeting helped discourage their countries from supporting the South during the Civil War, according to the late M. Paul Keesler’s book, Kuyahoora, Discovering West Canada Valley. No one I’ve ever known knew more about the West Canada than Paul Keesler. I was fortunate to work with Paul on a couple of projects and learned a great deal from him. Ironically, it was the railroad that brought people, and eventually, took them to other places, which led to the demise of the Falls’ popularity in the early 1900s. The hotel is long gone, but the Falls are here forever. Visit www.town.trenton. ny.us for spring and fall dates. Trenton Falls is but one “gem” along the West Canada Creek. The Creek actually begins deep in the mountain area of Hamilton County in the Adirondacks and flows
southward through State Forest areas, Hinckley Reservoir, over the Trenton Falls, down into the Kuyahoora Valley and empties into the Mohawk River at Herkimer, a journey of 76 miles. When I hear the term “creek,” I think of a stream that, at least in summer months, I might be able to wade across. Well, the West Canada Creek is no stream! It is a misnamed river with a watershed of 569 miles and a water flow as high as 1337 cubic feet per second. Admittedly, I didn’t know what that meant, so I compared it to the Mohawk River’s water flow (which is the largest tributary of the Hudson River) of some 5600 cubic feet per second. So it has about a quarter of the power of the Hudson River’s largest feeder. Pretty respectable. The West Canada boasts something for everyone. It’s known as one of the best fishing streams in New York State. According to Paul Keesler, “The 29 miles from Herkimer to Trenton Falls offers more access to good brown trout water than any stream in the state.” In 2005, over 50,000 brown trout were stocked within that span. Anglers will also find rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, fallfish, walleye, brook trout and more. So fish away at numerous DEC fishing accesses! Not an angler? Like to camp, swim, white water raft, water ski, tube, kayak, canoe, hike, golf, or try your hand at diamond digging? You’ll find it all along the West Canada.
If you’re a regular reader of Touring NY you’ve heard all about Herkimer Diamonds. Located on Rt. 28 on the Southern Adirondack Trail seven miles north of Herkimer, the Herkimer Diamond Mine is a great vacation spot on the west shore of the West Canada. The KOA Kampground has tent and RV sites, kamping kabins and kottages, two restaurants, a museum and a great gift shop. Best of all, you can mine for natural quartz crystals that have been waiting for you for over 400 million years! www. herkimerdiamond.com Travel a few miles north of Trenton Falls to Hinckley Reservoir on Rt. 365 for more camping, swimming, boating and fishing. Built in the early 1900s, it’s a 7-mile long, man-made drinking water reservoir. Its public day access site includes beach, bathhouse, boat launch (power boats and jet skis welcomed). Camp at Trail’s End Campground, a private campground with all the amenities. www.trailend.com Have lunch in one of many family-friendly, reasonably priced restaurants from Herkimer to Alder Creek or Speculator, depending upon your direction. Better yet, stay overnight in one of several welcoming, historic bed and breakfast establishments. Above all, don’t underestimate the West Canada Creek and all it is beckoning you to.
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Tr a v e l i n g i s a b o u t p o s s i b i l i t i e s . . .
p h o t o by Te r e s a A n g e l o
. . . a n d w h e n yo u h a ve m o re t h a n 9 , 0 0 0 s q u a re m i l e s o f l a k e s , h i l l s , v i l l a g e s a n d v i n e y a rd s , t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s a re e n d l e s s i n Ne w Yo rk’s Fi n g e r L a k e s .
p h o t o by O n o n d a g a C o u n t y
Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance 800-530-7488 www.fingerlakes.org
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“America’s First Boom Town”– still booms…
Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
…Along the Erie Canal by Chuck Lyons Take a boat ride. Pedal a bike. From Rochester west the historic Erie Canal runs for over 50 miles with no locks and a completed towpath trail, giving the Rochester area the longest uninterrupted stretch of leisurely boating on the canal – and a long, flat bike route beside it. There are two locks in the immediate Rochester area and two more, close together 20 miles east of the city. The completed towpath trail runs uninterrupted for another 25 miles to the east of Rochester. It’s a recreational, scenic, and historic treasure. Throughout this section of the canal, travelers pass through 200-year-old villages, alongside farms and orchards, among drooping willows and majestic maples and across rock-strewn creeks. They visit historic canal
aqueducts, shop in modern shopping areas, visit an official engineering landmark, dine in historic inns, and look down on a highway running alongside the canal and 70 feet below it. Canal tours, bicycle rentals, and dinner cruises are also available, and, with the 2007 boating season, the canal will no longer require passes or locking fees. Traveling west from Rochester, at a distance of about 50 miles, the first lock is the famous “Flight of Five” at Lockport, which lift the canal to the top of the Niagara Escarpment. To the east there is a lock at Macedon, about 20 miles from Rochester, and then another at Palmyra, eight miles further east. Between these locks lie Brockport (site of a SUNY College), Spencerport, Middleport, Albion (the Orleans County seat), Gasport, Medina (where the road passes under the canal), Holly, Fairport (with its canal lift bridge), Pittsford, and many smaller villages, almost all of which have docking facilities and canal side parks, and many of which have summer festivals celebrating their canal heritage.
Canoe rentals are available along the Fairport bike path.
At Pittsford, travelers dine in a converted coal storage tower and shop in a number of canal side shops, including one that rents bicycles for a relaxed pedal along the towpath west to Fairport or east to the Great Embankment. The Great Embankment, just south of Rochester where the canal crosses the Genesee Valley, is 70 feet above Rt. 96, and the place where Irondequoit creek passes beneath the canal. It was here that the canal broke in 1850 and1912 and then again in 1974, flooding local homes and roads.
Canal boat rides and dinner cruises are available in season in the Rochester area including a cruise on a traditional Erie Canal packet boat.
Along the way, the traveler can stop at the historic Richardson’s Canal House for lunch or dinner. Canal boat rides and dinner cruises are available in season in the Rochester area including a cruise on a traditional Erie Canal packet boat. It was in such packets that most passengers traveled the canal in the 19th century. To the west of Pittsford, just south of the city of Rochester, the canal crosses the Genesee River at the same level, like two roads intersecting. A canoe rental facility, just north of the canal crossing, allows travelers to take a break from the canal and journey up or down the river through the Monroe County’s Genesee Valley Park and alongside the University of Rochester for a view of the city skyline. Just east of the river beyond the university, is the historic Mt. Hope Cemetery, the final resting place of Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, and other luminaries. Cemetery tours go out on summer Sundays.
Boaters can also turn onto the river and travel into the heart of Rochester, which sprung to life and grew with the coming of the canal in the early 1800s. Called “America’s First Boom Town,” Rochester in 10 years saw the city’s population grow from about 300 to over 8,000. A bike path will also take you there. Beginning at the canal and running alongside the river the path leads into the center of the city after a shaded and gentle ride passing most of the time through a riverside park. Boats heading into the city on the river can tie up in the city’s Corn Hill neighborhood, Rochester’s 1890s “bluestocking” district that has been restored to much of its original glory. Walk the shaded streets beneath lovingly restored Victorian homes or stroll a short distance north to visit the Broad Street bridge, where the canal originally turned 90degrees and crossed the Genesee
The Liftbridge at Fairport
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River, the site of frequent arguments and fights between the crews of canal boats. Today the rerouted canal passes south of the city, but the bridge remains carrying Broad Street traffic over the river. Designated a national engineering landmark, the bridge was originally built in 1833. (The Corn Hill area is also the site for boarding a dinner cruise on the river). A little farther north, also within walking distance, is the city’s High Falls area. Across the street from Eastman Kodak world headquarters, the area is built around the Genesee River’s 80-feet high Upper Falls. An historic area of mills and small factories, the High Falls area is being converted into a shopping and dining district. During
the summer, a nightly laser light show flashes against the riverbank below the falls. The High Falls was also the spot where Sam Patch died in 1829. Sam was a famous “jumper” who had lept off ships’ masts, over Niagara Falls, and off other hair-raising places before attempting Rochester’s High Falls. A night of carousing before his jump may have affected Sam’s style; he hit the water and never came up. Sam’s body was found the following spring near where the river empties into Lake Ontario. To the east of the city, Palmyra (20 miles from Rochester) is the historic village where Mormonism was founded, and is the host every July to a lavish outdoor pageant presented by the Church of
3 23 Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The pageant presented on a hillside south of the village is free of charge. Itself the subject of the novel Canaltown, the village boasts a number of Mormon sites, and also features an original canal aqueduct and one of the only existing canal change bridges. (These allowed the mules towing a barge to change sides of the canal without tangling their towlines). Both are in a small park with docking facilities to the west of the village. Take a ride – by boat, bike, or auto. You’ll enjoy it.
Some Rochester Area Connections Greater Rochester Visitors Association, 585-279-8300 City of Rochester Event Information Line, 585-777-3050 Mt. Hope Cemetery, 585-428-7999 Canal and River Cruises Colonial Belle, Fairport, 575-223-9470, www.colonialbelle.com Sam Patch Tour Boat, Rochester, 585-262-5661 Bicycle Rental Towpath Bike Shop, Pittsford, 585-381-2808 Mormon Pageant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 315-597-5851 Canoe Rental Genesee Valley Park, Rochester, 585-428-07005 Cayuga General Store, Seneca Falls, 315-568-9306 Festivals www.canal.state.ny.us/exvac/calendar/index.html
For canal festivals and events go to touringny.com and click on canal festivals.
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…in a Historic Man-Made Cave By Chuck Lyons The Lockport cave is “a one hour and 10 minute history lesson that’s fun.” It’s also part of a cluster of canal-related activities in Lockport, 30 minutes east of Buffalo. Besides the man-made Lockport cave you can view historic Erie Canal locks, take a canal cruise, visit a couple of canal museums, and take a “trolley” ride. The main attraction, however, is the cave. Beginning at the 1864 red-roofed former Lockport City Hall, guides lead groups alongside the modern two-lock complex and the original 1825 flight of five locks that carry canal traffic over the 50-foot Niagara Escarpment, the same rock ledge that created Niagara Falls. Groups cross the canal and follow the tow path where mules labored pulling canal boats, then pass a small canal museum. Keep your eyes peeled for round marks in rocks and metal railings; towropes wore them through decades of traffic. The tour passes factory remains and the famous “upside-down” railroad bridge over the canal, with the superstructure below the bed rather than above. Despite local lore that the bridge was built that way to interfere with traffic on the competing canal, it was in fact simply cheaper to build it like that, and the height still provided all the clearance necessary. After a brief walk, the group reaches an outlet pipe from the mill race that powered the factories – the entrance to the Lockport cave. In the 1850s Lockport politicos and powerbrokers formed the Hydraulic Race Company, which created the cave. Their engineer was Birdsall Holley, a man whose 150 US patents rivaled his friend Thomas A. Edison’s. Holley invented the fire hydrant and
Float
Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
under the locks…
“Looks spooky in here,” says Casey, a six-year-old tour member. Spooky enough that the cave is used as Lockport’s Haunted House at Halloween. photo: Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp.
the rotary pumps that forced water through the Lockport tunnel. He also built one of the factories that used the tunnel for power. Despite the fact that Holley’s factory manufactured his fire hydrants, it ironically burned in 1904. The tunnel, designed to carry water from above the five locks to below powering the factories along the way, was carved out of solid rock with sledge hammers, star drills, and black powder... and the back-breaking labor of mostly Irish immigrants who made about 12 cents a day. A good day yielded about a footand-a-half of progress. Entering through the spacious discharge pipe, the tour arrives in a dimly-lit, square damp “gatehouse” cut from the rock. Inside the cave, it is a constant 45-50 degrees F. “Looks spooky in here,” says Casey, a six-yearold tour member. Spooky
enough that the cave is used as Lockport’s Haunted House at Halloween, and props are visible throughout the tour – a witches’ cauldron, a devil’s throne, and barred recesses. The tour moves through the cave with Ethan, our tour guide, providing its history and pointing out traces of the original construction such as blasting holes and broken drills still stuck in the rock wall as well as natural phenomena – new small stalactites, curtain stalactites, and white flowstone coating the walls. At intervals the guide snaps out the lights leaving the tour members in complete darkness, a new and unsettling experience. Flowing alongside the path is a small, shallow watercourse, a remnant of the water that once poured through here. The water is drinkable, the guide says, but lacks some of the nutrients required to support
plant life. And, since there is no plant life in the cave, there is no life at all. “The only living thing down here,” he says, “is us.” Eventually the water widens. The group boards a wooden boat and silently floats down the last section of the cave – what cave literature calls “America’s longest underground boat ride” – and back again dodging water that drips from the roof. “My favorite part,” says Casey’s 8-year-old sister Eva as the group exits, “was the white stuff on the walls” – the flowstone. Only a block away, the Erie Canal Discovery Center offers visitors a huge copy of a mural painted 100 years ago to celebrate the canal centennial and several related exhibits, as well as a 15-minute movie exploring the building of the canal in the Lockport area and
a simulated ride on a packet boat “locking through” the flight of five. A block in the other direction, visitors can board a canal boat for a two-hour narrated cruise that includes the “upside-down bridge,” two locks, two lift bridges, and the 20-foot high walls of the “rock cut,” a canal section blasted out of solid rock with black powder left over from the War of 1812. All these attractions and other local sites are connected by a “trolley” that circles its Lockport route hourly, allowing visitors to leave and re-enter at will. A full day, but still not enough? Niagara Falls itself is only a half-hour drive away. Lockport Cave. 2 Pine Street, open Saturday and Sunday only in May, daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. (716) 438-0174, adults $8.50 plus tax, children (4-12) $5.75 plus tax, group rates available for 20 or more, www.lockportcave.com Haunted House at Lockport Cave. 2 Pine Street, every October. $10, not recommended for children under 7, (716) 438-0174 Canal Cruise. 210 Market Street, spring, summer, and winter. (800) 378-0352, adults $13.50, children (4-10) $8, children under 4 free, snacks and licensed beverages available on board Erie Canal Discovery Center. 24 Church Street, $5 for adults, $3.50 for children, (716) 439-0431 Trolley. runs hourly from the Fourth of July to Labor Day, call 1-877-FALLS-US. $18 includes entry to many Lockport attractions such as the cave tour and canal cruises as well as the trolley, children under 4 free
special/ SUMMER edition 2005 – voyage of the lois mcclure T OURINGN EW Y ORK SPRING .COM TOURING
See Niagara Falls. Feel Niagara Falls. Touch Niagara Falls. That’s only the beginning of what you can experience in Niagara USA. With attractions like Cave of the Winds, Old Fort Niagara, Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises and the Seneca Niagara Casino, you’ll need more than just one day. For more information, order your free Niagara USA Travel Guide at www.niagara-usa.com or call 1-877-FALLS US.
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
Fall In Love by Carol J. Nellis-Ewell Everything is abloom and abustle this Spring and Summer in and around the picturesque Village of Spencerport in Monroe County. Nestled contentedly alongside the historic Erie Canal and its greenway corridor, the entire community welcomes the changes of season. Join us in celebration on Saturday May 12, for the official opening of the restored RLB Trolley Depot/Museum! Within the nostalgic building surrounded by a charming porch, a recreated library takes you back in time, contrasted by walk-up computers and current visitor information. New amenities are ready for boaters, plus this year canoes and kayaks are available for hire. Florally speaking, deep purple crocuses already peeked through the last patches of melting snow to greet an array of tulip and daffodil blossoms. Planters display scarlet red geraniums and trailing variegated vinca vines, and in July, many varieties of vibrant daylilies, the Village
with spencerport – “someplace special”
flower, are in full splendor. Our florist always has fresh roses for someone special. Victorian homes line pretty streetscapes of classic Americana, with flags waving in soft breezes. Friendly shopkeepers welcome you to unique businesses, from African art to American antiques, and fine jewelry to used books. Creative kids can paint pottery and later lick ice cream cones. Adults can enjoy gourmet lattes and savor “to-die-for” bakery pastries or authentic eggplant Parmesan. You are invited to discover Spencerport-Ogden-Parma. Spend the day pathwalking and picnicking, or dining and shopping, in sunshine or even showers. Plan a romantic weekend at a quaint bed and breakfast to fall in love again. Visit Spencerport: “Someplace Special” ~ you’ll be glad you did.
You are invited to discover Spencerport-Ogden-Parma. Spend the day pathwalking and picnicking, or dining and shopping, in sunshine or even showers. Plan a romantic weekend at a quaint bed and breakfast to fall in love again.
The landmark “Upside Down” railroad bridge on western New York’s Erie Canal.
photo: Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp.
special/ SUMMER edition 2005 – voyage of the lois mcclure T OURINGN EW Y ORK SPRING .COM TOURING
turns
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this year.
Where will you celebrate? Get your official 2007 New York State Travel Guide, with hundreds of ideas to help you plan your celebration. For your FREE guide, call
800/I LOVE NY or go to
iloveny.com
is a registered trademark and service mark of New York State Department of Economic Development. TouringNYAd.indd 1
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Collaboration
The Upstate New York Tourism Alliance unites dozens of attractions and destinations dedicated to delivering exciting experiences across the upstate region. UNYTA hopes you’ll join us in thanking our partners in the Lois McClure celebration.
Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
—a success story
National Park Service The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor includes four canals, three lakes, 524 miles of navigable waterway, almost 5000 square miles, almost three million people, and the entire breadth of New York state.
Operated by the National Park Service, the Erie Canalway Corridor spotlights colonial and pre-colonial history, the explosive days of the early canal, and those EXTRA exciting days – today and tomorrow – that the region is still unfolding.
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Lake Champlain is perhaps North America’s most historic body of water. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum helps explore and celebrate the military, commercial and recreational periods of the huge
lovely lake that links New York, Vermont, and Quebec. Besides the Lois McClure, the museum fleet includes eight pilot gigs, one drag boat, one tug boat, the reproduction 18th-century bateau Perseverance, and Philadelphia II – reproduction of the gunboat with which Benedict Arnold helped saved New York, and the American Revolution. Destiny usa is about a place you can experience life the way you want it to be; it’s about seeing what is good and about enhancing the ways we live today. Destiny usa is about a future for ourselves, our families and our country.
I Love NY For over twenty years, I Love New York has had one goal – to help YOU fall in love with New York! The Empire State has purple mountain majesty, fruited plains, alabaster cities, and even shining sea – not to mention Niagara Falls, the Cradle of Aviation, and the Birthplace of Women’s Rights. We love New York – you will too!
special/ SUMMER edition 2005 – voyage of the lois mcclure T OURINGN EW Y ORK SPRING .COM TOURING
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Dear Fellow Travelers, On behalf of our editor, Kirk House and the In House Graphic Design team, welcome to this special issue of TouringNY.com featuring the Grand Canal Journey of the Lois McClure. Hopefully you will be able to visit her in one of the many ports of call along the Erie Canalway this summer. This special issue has been a true cooperative effort and I want to especially thank the Upstate New York Tourism Alliance, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission and I Love NY for the positive strength of their efforts and financial support, and also the New York State Heritage Areas for their multitude of unique stories. L.B. Herzig (Spike)
We are particularly excited about the major upgrades in the production quality of this issue. This is high quality paper and printing along with saddle stitching and trimming to give TouringNY.com the total magazine look. And, you can find the entire publication on line by visiting our website: www. TouringNY.com.
Official Publication of the Upstate New York Tourism Alliance
How to Co ntact Us COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNING EDITORIAL CONTENT, CONTACT: Kirk House, Editor 7484 County Route 13 Bath, NY 14810 jasperj14810@yahoo.com
COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNING BUSINESS, ADVERTISING, AND TOURS, CONTACT: Spike Herzig, Publisher 474 Snell Road Geneva, NY 14456 (315) 781-7714 lherzig@rochester.rr.com DESIGN AND LAYOUT: In House Graphic Design, Inc. Waterloo, NY
Also, we draw your special attention to the email below from our United Kingdom fans about their exciting and most enjoyable time in Upstate NY. We’d love to hear from you – let us know what you think about our publication, any story ideas you may have or changes you’d like to see.
Kirk House
Happy touring, Spike L.B. Herzig, Publisher
Co n t r i b u to rs
Lynn “Spike” Herzig is publisher of Touring New York and president of The Herzig Group, tourism consultants. He served as president of the National Tour Association, and headed up organizations or programs for Greyhound Travel Services, Opryland, Illinois, Mexico, and New York’s Finger Lakes. If an Angel Knocks at Your Door, You’d Best be Home! is Spike’s memoir of beating a dangerous, almost-unknown illness, while Where Did You Go? Out recounts tales of growing up in the Adirondacks – check www.herzigroup.com for orders. Spike lives in Geneva.
Kirk W. House is the editor of Touring New York. Besides his travel writing, he also writes frequently on area history and on early aviation. His latest historic photo book, Around Watkins Glen (co-authored with Charles R. Mitchell) is available through www.arcadiapublishing. com. Kirk lives in Bath.
Chuck Lyons Chuck Lyons is a retired newspaper editor and freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous periodicals. He was recently awarded the Harryman Dorsey prize for an “outstanding” article on Colonial American history. Lyons resides outside Rochester with a wife named Brenda and a beagle named Gus.
Jan McGraw is a Labor Services Representative with the New York State Division of Employment Services. Besides consulting on scenic byways for the Herkimer County Area Development Corporation, she serves on boards for Valley United Way and the Erie Canal School Boat Foundation. Jan lives in Ilion.
Special Edition Contributors
Erin Bartolo is Communications and Research Manager for the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce.
Lucy Breyer & Marcia Kees are Coordinators for the New York State Heritage Areas Program.
P. Thomas Carroll is the Executive Director of the RiverSpark Heritage Area.
Janet West Clerkin is the Tourism and Public Information Coordinator for Oswego County Dept of Community Development, Tourism & Planning.
Lori Solomon-Duell is Project Manager of the Lois McClure 2007 Voyage for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission.
Carol Nellis-Ewell is Trustee and Economic Development Committee Chair for the Village of Spencerport and operates Afrikamba, Curios.
Maureen Gebert is Director of the Schenectady Heritage Area.
Barbara Henderson is the Executive Director of the Cazenovia Area Community Development Association.
Pamela Pollack is Project Manager for the Western Erie Canal Alliance.
Kathleen M. Quandt is Director of Operations for Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Judy Schmidt-Dean
HERZIG
L.B. Herzig, Inc. — Promoting success in tourism since 1966. Consulting | Managing | Training | Tour Packaging
is a commissioner on the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission and she and her husband Phil own and operate The Schuyler Yacht Basin in Schuylerville, NY.
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Official Travel Magazine for the Upstate NY Tourism Alliance
Find in
unexpected places! Escape to Corning & the Finger Lakes... to find fun in unexpected places! Check the events calendar for free fishing days, basketball tournaments, regattas, seaplane festivals and more!
Overnight packages make planning easy!
out
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Br i n g
Go fishing where you’re guaranteed to catch a fish ■ Discover glass eyes and Cinderella slippers ■ Stay overnight in a real train caboose or a log cabin ■ Check out scalp locks of human hair on a Native American war shirt ■ Play putt-putt, drive bumper boats, race go-carts and more!
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www.VisitCorningFingerLakes.com or call toll-free 1-866-946-3386
GENESEE COUNTRY VILLAGE & MUSEUM
Spectacular Reasons toMake TORONTO
Lake Ontario
NIAGARA FA L L S
Lake Erie
GEVA THEATRE
GEORGE EASTMAN HOUSE
Rochester the Base of ERIE CANAL
★
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STRONG — NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PLAY
EXCITING NIGHTLIFE
Your Visit!
ROCHESTER MUSEUM & SCIENCE CENTER RIVER CRUISING
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hoosing a base for your close-to-home vacation or getaway is really important. By staying in the Rochester area, you have “must-see” family attractions, nationally famous sites and some wonderful surprises for grown-ups–all within a few minutes! Plus, you’ll be all set to enjoy great day trips on the historic Erie Canal, the Finger Lakes region and Niagara Falls. Check out www.visitrochester.com for great events, festivals and super value offers!
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ERIE CANAL FESTIVALS
special/ SUMMER edition 2005 – voyage of the lois mcclure T OURINGN EW Y ORK SPRING .COM TOURING
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TOP: Summer is the perfect time to visit the bountiful farmstands and unique shops of the lush Schoharie Valley, the Breadbasket of the American Revolution. 800-41-VISIT • www.schohariechamber.com LEFT: Open all year, Howe Caverns offers an inside look at a water-carved underground world millions of years in the making. 518-296-8900 • www.howecaverns.com
It’s no surprise
that visitors to Schoharie County so often remark on the beauty around them.
But look a little deeper and you’ll discover other worlds of timeless beauty: underground wondergrounds, historic museums, farm stands, shops, restaurants and gracious accommodations. Explore Schoharie County for a wonderful weekend or daytrip. Call, or visit our website for more information and a calendar of events.
CENTER: Lansing Manor showcases life as it was at an early 1800s country manor, featuring three floors fully restored to their original grandeur. On the grounds of the New York Power Authority. 800-724-0309 • www.nypa.gov BOTTOM: The historic village of Sharon Springs offers quaint shops, elegant dining and gracious accommodations. 518-284-2880 or e-mail to sharonspringsinfo@cobblerandcompany.com RIGHT: Learn all about energy and electricity and the environment at the New York Power Authority Visitors Center. 800-724-0309 • www.nypa.gov
800-41-VISIT schohariechamber.com
From the Underground Railroad to battles at Fort Ontario— Oswego County History has it all!
G
et a blast of bracing air atop the battlements at Fort Ontario as you imagine a fleet of tall ships on the horizon. Re-trace the journey of hundreds of slaves along the Underground Railroad. Tour the LT-5—a floating piece of D-Day History. Visit where WWII refugees found sanctuary in America. Learn about Dr. Mary E. Walker—the only woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for service during the Civil War.
Embrace the Possibilities
All in a welcoming atmosphere of friendly people, cozy restaurants, fun shopping, and abundant natural wonders: Oswego County, NY. For complete list of all there is to see and do:
www.visitoswegocounty.com 1-800-248-4FUN
OT-Touring NY ad 2007_FINAL 2.in1 1
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