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Outta the box WNY daytrips
A new-and-improved guide to historic Niagara
By Elizabeth Licata
This is not a guidebook for the faint of heart. The Niagara Historic Trail is a revised, updated, and republished version of a project that was started in 1976; its 165-plus pages are packed with more information about Niagara County—historic, architectural, environmental, and simply descriptive—than you’ll probably ever need. Dr. William Feder, a county legislator at the time, supervised a monumental effort by local historians in which brown and cream historic markers were placed at significant sites throughout the county, and a sixty-page supplement appeared in the Niagara Gazette, Tonawanda News, and Lockport Union Sun & Journal newspapers. Thanks to the North Tonawanda History Museum, we now have a more permanent version of that original tabloid. It’s full of information and images, and happens to be the perfect accompaniment for any daytrip in and around Niagara County.
Not all of it, though. There is simply too much here. If a canny tourist were to choose just two routes from this book for two days of touring Niagara, one might start at Lewiston and continue through Youngstown, Wilson, Olcott, and Newfane; and another would start at Youngstown, and continue through Barker, Somerset, and Middleport. Thus skirting the boundaries of the county, and staying—mostly—by the water, the traveler avoids most of the strip malls, industrial parks and more unattractive urban areas.
Route one (traveling mainly along 18 and 78) focuses on Lake Ontario and the delightful farming communities of Youngstown and Newfane, as well as the quaint charms of Olcott, a former thriving lakeside resort. There are plenty of farm stands in season, along with antique stores and attractive small restaurants. Don’t miss the Youngstown boat harbor, Fort Niagara State Park (for a picnic), Bye’s popcorn stand in Olcott, Murphy’s Orchards in Newfane, and (for some twisted shopping) Gordy Harper’s bazaar in Newfane. Historic highlights along the way include Constitution Park and Old Fort Niagara (Youngstown); the Greenwood Cemetery, the Jesse Smith stone house and log cabin, cobblestone houses, and a total of nine one-room schoolhouses (Wilson); the ghostly Marjim Manor winery, old amusement park, and Harbor Light (Olcott); and the Van Horn Mansion (Burt/Newfane).
Route two picks up where route one turns off, taking Route 18 (Lake Road) along Lake Ontario, starting in Olcott, continuing through Somerset and Barker, then dipping down to Middleport. There are more cobblestone houses along 18 (notably the Babcock House in Somerset), as well as beautiful Golden State Park and its lighthouse. Turning south on either Countyline Road or Carmen Road, the route continues through farms and old cemeteries, winding up in the historic and fascinating burgs of Royalton, Wolcottsville, and Middleport. There are cobblestone homes aplenty, sites of pioneer pathways and Indian trails, old brick and stone homes, and some wonderful wildlife refuges, including the strange “Burning Swamp.” Must-dos include bird-watching in season, a walk over the Erie Canal lift bridge, and a stop at Middleport’s renowned Basket Factory.
It should go without saying that your mileage may vary; many might prefer exploring Lockport, North Tonawanda, or the Niagara Falls portions of the Trail. Wherever you go, take a good, up-to-date road map or use your Garmin; the maps in the book need improvement and the directions given here are deliberately vague. Look at it this way—getting lost will likely be half the fun of any trip along this wonderfully scenic trail.
For more information about the Niagara Historic trail publication and the North Tonawanda History Museum, call 213-0554 or check www.nthistorymuseum.org. The book is edited by Donna Zellner Neal, director of the NTHM.
Elizabeth Licata is editor of Buffalo Spree.
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