I firmly believe that every New Yorker should see Howe Caverns. I think the place is part of our identity as New Yorkers, on par with Niagara Falls and the Statue of Liberty. Howe Caverns is simply stunning. It has amazed visitors for over 169 years and despite our modern technological marvels, the trip will […]
What do wooden water pipes buried beneath Manhattan and the formation of a bank have to do with the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr? Truth is stranger than fiction…
I’ve visited some amazing museums in my time — the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, the New York State Museum — the Adirondack Museum in the central Adirondack region is perhaps one of the largest museums in Upstate New York. It certainly ranks as one of the most interesting and enjoyable. […]
Oh, my aching muscles…. Blue Mountain is in the central Adirondacks. Located in Hamilton County, the peak of the mountain reaches 3750 feet (1143 meters) and elevation gain from the trail head is 1559 feet. The trail is approximately 2 miles up- you can do the math to see how steep the trail is! A […]
When we visited Federal Hall National Memorial on Wall Street in lower Manhattan, we saw a display dedicated to John Peter Zenger, a New York newspaper publisher from the early 18th century. Zenger went to jail for a sensational “freedom of speech” case. His trial was held here at the site of Federal Hall, in […]
The very first capitol building of the United States of America was here on this site, on Wall Street in lower Manhattan. The building was called Federal Hall and was constructed in 1700. It was where President George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States. Unfortunately, the building was demolished in […]
Finally! I’d been wanting to visit this Village again ever since I visited when I was 14 years old. What a wonderful, wonderful place. Step back in time, literally. If it wasn’t for your wristwatch and cellphone, you’d think you were back in 1807.
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 […]
This is the historic site of the ancient lands of the Oneida Indian tribe of Central New York. It was also the resting place of the mysterious glacial erratic stone, sacred to the Oneidas. The place oozes history, archaeology, and wonder, with a strong mix of nature and spookiness mixed in. This is also the spot where Samuel de Chaplain and his Huron friends attacked the hapless Oneidas, hearing gunshots for the first time.
Not too far from the National Women’s Hall of Fame on Falls Street in Seneca Falls, NY, is the Women’s Rights National Park. I wrote about the rich history of the women’s movement that began here in my post National Women’s Hall of Fame, Seneca Falls, NY. While the National Women’s Rights Hall of Fame […]
You can read Part 1 and Part 2 here. The best part of our visit to The Wild Center, in my opinion, was the aquariums. The aquariums held fish native to the Adirondacks, such as different families of trout, sturgeon, turtles, and a couple of really cute otters named Squeaky and Squirt. This aquarium was […]
OK, I will state that I do not like the word “fart.” It’s crude and vulgar, and I never use the word. But golly gee whillikers, it’s a hilarious description for the booming sounds that burp out of Seneca Lake! LOL. I’ll get to that odd phenomenon in a minute. Seneca Lake is one of […]
The FX Matt Brewery is the second-longest running brewery in the nation, based in Utica, NY. It’s somewhat of a landmark here in this immigrant city, supplying jobs for many workers (even during th Prohibition Era). We took a guided tour of the building and the inner workings of the brewery, where all the stuff happens! Then we were treated to a Saranac beer in the elegant Matt saloon.
The Oneida Mansion House was built by the Oneida Community, a “free love” communalist cult that found refuge from persecution on Indian lands. These people built a virtual paradise for themselves, until bickering from within broke it all up. The Mansion is open for tours, and visitors are free to roam the grounds. I wrote a history of the cult– truth can be so stranger than fiction!
Fly Creek Cider Mill is a little jewel just north of Cooperstown. It’s a combination old-fashioned store/ cider mill/ livestock farm/ educational experience. No wonder it’s such a popular place! And who the heck named the town “Fly Creek”?!
Renowned as the finest example of Greel Revival architecture in the world, the Old Main, or old Utica Lunatic Asylum, still stands. Barely. It sits aloof on its once pastoral grounds in the heart of Utica, NY. It’s history is incredibly rich and it is for this reason that this magnificent building still stands. This is my investigation of its history and the earth-shattering movement of treatable mental illness in this country.
Hamilton College has a special place in our hearts. We are ardent students of history, revivalism, Samuel Kirkland, the Oneida Indians, and Alexander Hamilton. What brings all these things together? Hamilton College. We paid our respects to its founders.
Lake George in the autumn. What can I say? Sheer glory! We traveled up the beautiful and scenic Route 9, in the heart of the eastern Adirondacks Park. We finally found Fort Ticonderoga, too. And even though the Fort was closed, we snuck in for a little quiet exploration and photo op. What an adventure!
The New England Hurricane, also called the Long Island Express, or the Great Hurricane of ’38, is known as one of the most damaging hurricanes to ever strike the U.S. It hit New York and New England unexpectedly, with great loss of life and property. This is the story of what happened.
This museum in Syracuse is dedicated to everything Erie Canal. The museum is right on the historic banks of the Canal, and it’s housed in the old weighlock building– one of the Canal’s tolling places. So the museum has a history of its own, as well as offering a complete history of New York’s famous and nation-building Erie Canal.
The U.S.S. Slater is a Destroyer-Escort ship that served during World War II. It is the only Destroyer-Escort ship still afloat on display, sitting along the banks of the Hudson River in downtown Albany, NY. We took a tour of the ship, what an adventure!
WHAT a tremendous museum! Four enormous floors stocked full of everything you can possibly imagine– cars, instruments, dolls, an Iroquois longhouse, science experiments, and even a small glider airplane! A perfect place to spend a day.
What a beautiful park! Chittenango Falls State Park is the crowning jewel of Madison County. It has extensive trails with glorious views of the Falls. We thoroughly enjoyed our trek!
There is an element of deep sadness here. This was the battleground of the bloodiest battle in the fight for American independence. But it set off a shockwave of victory that helped to change the course of the war. Hundreds of men died here. We came to give our respects, and found time to have a little fun, too.
I was sifting through some of my photos and videos, and discovered some real gems that I haven’t seen in along time. I don’t think I ever included them here!
This is a video we created of the Whiteface Mountain summit. I cannot express how utterly serene and glorious the landscape is. You really should go. 🙂 But for now, a video will have to do.
We were perusing through the archives here and lookie what we found! Our old video from 2008, called “My Hometown”! It was the very first video we made together. We did it as part of a contest, and won first place – $1,000! One of the first things I did with the winnings was to buy a new digital camcorder. 🙂
I hope you get a kick out of seeing this again as much as we did.
My Hometown from Mrs. Mecomber on Vimeo.
I was sifting through some of my photos and videos, and discovered some real gems that I haven’t seen in along time. I don’t think I ever included them here! This is a video we created of the Whiteface Mountain summit. I cannot express how utterly serene and glorious the landscape is. You really […]
We were perusing through the archives here and lookie what we found! Our old video from 2008, called “My Hometown”! It was the very first video we made together. We did it as part of a contest, and won first place – $1,000! One of the first things I did with the winnings was to […]
No, I’m not talking about visiting hotels in Cedar Rapids, Iowa! Upstate New York has its own amazing skyscrapers. Unlike the glass and concrete constructions that fill up the nation’s most famous island, however, these skyscrapers are crafted from clay and wind. Welcome to Chimney Bluffs State Park near Wolcott, New York, off the eastern […]
I had the opportunity to check out the Montrose Colorado hotels website recently, when I was asked to give my opinion on it. Booking a hotel has gotten so, so much easier today. Years ago, it was a rather scary venture. You were never quite sure you we really getting the place you viewed online […]
We couldn't travel the world. So we travel throughout our home state, New York. What amazing adventures we have!
Read about who we are and why we do this on our About Us Page. See the Travel Archive List of all the places we've visited. And view our Google map of where we've been (be aware that it's under construction!). Thank you for visiting!
