Hill Cumorah, Palmyra, NY

We traversed to the historic Hill Cumorah site after seeing the Joseph Smith historic site outside the town of Palmyra. Even though there were a few cars parked outside the visitor’s center, the place was rather creepy. The wind was incredibly torrential that day, and the air biting cold. There was no human activity at [...]

The Joseph Smith Historic Site, Palmyra, NY

Just south of the small town of Palmyra, in Wayne County, NY, is the small site dedicated to Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon religion. The site was very barren and foreboding on a blustery February when we visited. We decided to stop so that I could take a few photos of the reproduction log [...]

National Women’s Hall of Fame, Seneca Falls, NY

March is Women’s History Month! Women are, by and large, the unsung heroes (well, heroines!) of history. They have often worked behind the scenes or have even assumed men’s names to introduce their achievements to the world. Did you know that the circular saw was invented by a woman? Tabitha Babbitt, in 1812. The dishwasher [...]

Birding, Big Time

This is it. The time when hundreds of different species of migrating birds return to Upstate New York for nesting. Western New York, specifically Wayne County, and more specifically the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, is a bird-lovers paradise. This is from the I Love NY Newsletter, the Beat: Hot off the presses and just in [...]

Great Places: Montezuma Wildlife Refuge

This enormous 50,000 acre wildlife refuge has been described as “one of the best examples of undisturbed swamp woodlands in New York or New England.” This area is an important stopping point for North Amerian migratory birds and local waterfowl. It’s a wonderful to explore.

H. Lee White Marine Museum, Oswego, NY

Sitting quietly on the pier on Ontario Lake, in Oswego, NY, sits a tiny little museum with a mascot tugboat. Don’t let the simple and small exterior fool you– inside lies a massive museum of naval exploration. What a terrific place!

Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY

We just love visiting forts. There is so much to see and to learn, and we love early American history. Fort Ontario was full of surprises, though. And full of breathtaking views of New York’s Great Lake. WOW.

Sodus Lighthouse, Sodus Point, NY

We took a lengthy, wintry trip to the Sodus Bay Lighthouse, on the northwestern edge of Lake Ontario (New York side). This area saw some battle action during the War of 1812. Exploring the area and seeing the thick frozen crests of ice on the lake was quite the experience.