Driving through the Finger Lakes on U.S. 20

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Cazenovia Lake

 

This week we continue on our journey along U.S. Route 20 through New York State. This leg of our trip took us through the Finger Lakes region of the state, passing along the northern tips of the largest Finger Lakes. It was a wonderful chance to explore each of these towns, and to see how they differ in their interactions with the lakes.

I started the trip in the town of Cazenovia, New York. If you read my blog about the Lorenzo State Historic Site, you might remember that the town was created as an investment scheme by Dutch bankers in the early 19th century. They hired John Lincklaen, a local agent, to buy the land, divide it into lots, and then resell it. I stayed overnight at the Lincklaen House, a hotel and restaurant built in 1835. My room was comfortable, especially for an older building. However, there is no elevator in the building, and all rooms are on the second floor or higher.


The Lincklaen House


Walking along Albany Street, I found buildings representing many styles of architecture that held sway over the past 200 years.






Albany Street ends at Lakeland Park. Here I found wonderful views of Cazenovia Lake.





Driving west, U.S. 20 passes through the farmlands of New York before reaching the town of Skaneateles (pronounced skinny-ah-te-les), the eastern-most of the Finger Lakes towns. It sits at the north end of Skaneateles Lake, with a lovely park and a fishing pier, lake cruises in the summer, and interesting shops and restaurants.

Big Bend Auto Repair











Fishing at the Skaneateles Pier 





The next town to the west is Auburn, NY on Owasco Lake. With over 20,000 residents, Auburn is the largest town along the northern shores of the Finger Lakes. It is also the town that is least dependent on tourism, as it has been home to the Auburn Correctional Facility since 1816.





Near Lake Cayuga is the town of Seneca Falls, home to the founding of the national women’s rights movement. In 1848 the Seneca Falls Convention was held at the Wesleyan Chapel in town. It was the first women’s rights convention in the United States. The meeting was organized by a group of local Quakers and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It drew many forward thinkers of the time, including Lucretia Mott and Frederick Douglas. Today you can visit the Women’s Rights National Historic Park, whose visitors center is on U.S. 20 in the center of town.

Seneca Falls NHP visitors center



Wesleyan Chapel
 

 

Across the Cayuga - Seneca Canal is the National Women’s Hall of Fame. It occupies what used to be the Seneca Falls Knitting Mill. You can read my blog about it here.




Sitting at the north tip of Seneca Lake is the town of Geneva, NY. I enjoyed some ice cream while visiting Lakefront Park. There I met Professor Liz Lange from SUNY Oswego, who was working with some students, carrying out research on fish living in the lake. Geneva is also where you will find the Finger Lakes Welcome Center, where you can find places to visit and things to do.






On my way to the town of Canandaigua, NY, I stopped in at Carriage Factory Antiques. I love visiting this kind of “antiques barn’. I can wander its crowded aisles, looking for hidden surprises, for hours. 

 

 

 


Player Piano Rolls




My final stop for the day was at the Motel Miami, just east of Canandaigua. This classic 1950’s motel has been refurbished to its original   South Florida look. The room was well supplied and bed was comfortable. 





Photo via www.visitfingerlakes,com


Nuts and Bolts


  • This leg of my journey covered 80 miles.
  • Women’s Rights NHP - admission is free. Hours change by season, but it is generally closed on Sunday and Monday.
  • Finger Lakes Welcome Center is open Tue - Fri 9 AM - 4 PM, Sat & Sun 9 AM - 5 PM
  • Carriage Factory Antiques is open Fri-Sun 10 AM - 5 PM
Location: Finger Lakes, NY, USA

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