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About The Finger Lakes Region
The Finger Lakes are a noted distinction in New York – the natural wonderland offers one of the most visually stunning and peaceful getaways in the United States. Nowhere are these attributes more prevalent than in the shimmering lakes themselves – the long, slender bodies of water offer an invigorating splash of fun and host a full range of year-round activities. Wine lovers also find the Finger Lakes as a most treasured winery destination – renowned for its production of award-winning wines.
The Finger Lakes Region is said to have gotten its name from an old Iroquois legend – the Gread God Manitou wanted to reward the Iroquois Confederacy for their courage in battle and their loyalty to the Great Spirit. He brought part of their happy hunting ground down from the heavens, but the hand of Manitou slipped when as he was bringing it down and caused six indentations now known as the Finger Lakes: Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco and Skaneateles.
The Lakes
Seneca Lake is named for the Seneca Indian Nation. The word “Seneca” comes from the Indian name “Assiniki” – which means “place of stone” or “stony place.” Seneca Lake has the steepest shoreline of all the Finger Lakes. It is also the deepest and widest of the lakes – with depths of over 600 feet and 3 ½ miles wide in some areas. Catharine Creek is one of the two major inlets to the lake, the other being Keuka Lake Outlet in Dresden. Many ravines go into the lake as well, with some creating stunning waterfalls.
Cayuga Lake also gets its name from the Indians – meaning “boat landing.” It is the longest of the Finger Lakes – a hair longer than Seneca at just under 40 miles long. Its deepest point is 435 feet and has an average width of 1 ¾ miles wide. Cayuga Lake, much like Seneca Lake, can be accessed from the Erie Canal and is reachable by water from anywhere in the world.
Keuka Lake called the “Lady of the Lakes” because of its natural beauty was given its name by Indians as well, meaning “canoe landing.” It is distinctive among the Finger Lakes because of it’s Y-shape and its scenic bluff over 700 feet above lake level and because it is the only Finger Lake that outlets into another Finger Lake, Seneca Lake. Keuka is also one of the warmer temperature lakes – at only 187 feet at its deepest point, it is “swimable” before the deeper lakes, Seneca and Cayuga. All three lakes are exceptionally clean and are well-known for water sports and excellent fishing.
The Villages
Watkins Glen is principally known for it’s spectacular State Park and the Watkins Glen International Racing Circuit. The State Park is a wondrous 1,000-acre park in the Village of Watkins Glen. It is filled with erosion-sculptured chasms, rock formations, and nineteen waterfalls. Visitors walking the trail pass by caves, rock caverns, walk behind two of the waterfalls and will climb 600 feet in elevation in the one and half miles of trail.
The Watkins Glen International Racing circuit brings over 6-months of racing enthusiasts to the area – hosting such races as NASCAR, INDY, Daytona Prototypes, and the Vintage Cup – just to name a few.
Just south of Watkins Glen, is the second largest town in Schuyler County, Montour Falls. It hosts one of the most impressive waterfalls in the area – the 165-foot Chequagua Falls, which can be viewed from the base of the falls right off of Main Street. It was the home to Queen Catharine Montour, for whom the town is named after, and is the resting place for her as well as Charles Cook. Charles Cook was instrumental in the formation of Schuyler County – he built canals, hotels, St. Paul’s Church, Havana Bank and the People’s College (now know as NYS Academy of Fire Science).
Geneva is situated at the northern end of Seneca Lake – home to Hobart College, the oldest college in western New York. It has many stately homes and centuries-old trees and is very near to two state parks, Seneca Lake State Park and Sampson State Park.
Ithaca, a very picturesque town at the southern end of Cayuga Lake, is the home of Cornell University and Ithaca College. Another well known town for its waterfalls – deserving its infamous tagline “Ithaca is Gorges.” Several State Parks are near by – Allan H. Treman State Marine Park, Buttermilk Falls State Park, Robert H. Treman State Park and Taughannock Falls State Park – with a drop of 214 feet, one of the largest waterfalls east of the Rocky Mountains. Ithaca is also known as the cultural center of the Finger Lakes – home to many museums, theater companies, orchestras, dance groups, music festivals, and much, much more. It is also the home of the ice cream sundae!
Hammondsport, originally called Pleasant Valley, is named after Lazarus Hammond who built its streets and village square in 1807. It is located at the southern end of Keuka Lake and is home to the first winery in the region, Pleasant Valley Wine Company, founded in 1860. Hammondsport was put on the viticultural map in 1867 when it received a gold metal for one of its champagne at the Vienna Exposition in Paris, France.
These historic communities with scenic situations all are tourist destinations, as is the village of Aurora, which is situated on the east shore of Cayuga Lake. Although not on one of the lakes, the nearby city of Corning is also a major destination for visitors, because of its famous glass museum and demonstrations. Similarly, the villages of Seneca Falls and Waterloo, although not on lakes, attract many to the several sites of the Women’s Rights National Historical Park and the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
Tourism has become a major growth industry of the Finger Lakes Region. According to the New York State Department of Economic Development, taxable sales derived from tourism in one county alone exceeded ninety million dollars in a recent year (2001). Visitors spent an estimated 200 million dollars in the central Finger Lakes region, where the industry employed about fifteen thousand people.
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