Known as the “Breadbasket of the American Army” for its thriving agricultural communities during the Revolutionary War, Herkimer County stretches from the Mohawk River valley north for 83 miles through the western foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. The Erie Canal brought industry to the region in the early 1800s, and the construction of the New York State Thruway in the 1950s made the county accessible to tourists.
Old Forge Area
Storybook characters lived in the tiny houses on Storybook Lane in the Enchanted Forest (watersafari.com) when it opened in 1956. Over the years thrill rides were added, and by the 1980s, water attractions outnumbered the storybook characters. The Adirondack Scenic Railroad (adirondackrr.com) operates excursion trains from Thendara, two miles west of Old Forge. Two-hour trips make a stop for a buffet lunch at a historic station. Take the ski lift to the top of McCauley Mountain (mccauleyny.com) during the summer for views of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. In the winter, the ski area opens 21 trails at what locals call “New York’s Best Family Mountain.”
Little Falls Area
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor passes through Little Falls and neighboring Herkimer. In Little Falls, visitors can cross a bridge to Moss Island for a walk along the canal to Lock 17. The Georgian mansion of Gen. Nicholas Herkimer, a Revolutionary War hero, is the centerpiece of Herkimer Home State Historic Site (nysparks.com). Herkimer died at the home in 1777 from injuries he received at the Battle of Oriskany. After a day exploring colonial history, unwind at the shops, galleries and restaurants at Canal Place on the towpath.
Diamond Mining
Herkimer Diamonds -- clear crystals with points on each end -- form in the dolomite limestone in Herkimer County. Experienced rock hounds can set out on their own in search of the unusual crystals, with the permission of property owners, but the less adventurous can visit Ace of Diamonds Mine and Campground (herkimerdiamonds.com) in Middleville or Herkimer Diamond Mines and KOA Kampgrounds (herkimerdiamond.com) in Herkimer. Don old clothes and sturdy shoes and pack prospecting tools for a day at either operation’s mine.
Herkimer Area
Tours of the Erie Canal aboard the Lil’ Diamond II leaving Herkimer’s Gems Along the Mohawk (gemsalongthemohawk.com) shopping and dining area include a trip through Lock 18. Erie Canal Cruises (eriecanalcruises.com) operates from mid-May through mid-October. A short walking tour of Herkimer’s “Four Corners” begins at the Suiter Building Museum, housed in the 1884 home of a prominent doctor. The courthouse, built in 1873, was the site of the sensational murder trial of Chester Gillette, which was fictionalized in “An American Tragedy.” Gillette was held in the Herkimer County Jail before being sent to the prison at Auburn, New York, for execution.
References
- City of Little Falls: History
- New York Visitors Network: Herkimer County and the Adirondacks
- Herkimer County, New York
- Old Forge
- Enchanted Forest Water Safari
- Enchanted Forest Water Safari: History
- Adirondack Scenic Railroad
- Adirondack Scenic Railroad: Thendara-Big Moose
- McCauley Mountain Ski Area
- Parks & Trails New York: Canalway Trail
Resources
- The City of Little Falls: Activities -- The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation: Herkimer Home State Historical Site
- The City of Little Falls: Shopping, Lodging, Dining
- Ace of Diamonds Mine and Campground
- Herkimer Diamond Mines & KOA Kampgrounds
- Erie Canal Cruises: Our Schedule
- Gems Along the Mohawk
- Daily News: The Murder at Moose Lake -- A Young Pregnant Woman Dies but Her Tragic Story Lives On
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images