Best SMALL town in America

Hammondsport,NY was voted the best little small town in America  for 2012

If you want to visit a gorgeous little village in a beautiful setting, without the crowds, this town is for you.  The town is situated on the southern end of Keuka Lake.

The old Railroad Depot is now the town offices and Police Dept.

Looking across the Lake from the Depot.

Hammondsport is a lively little town with lots of things to do and enjoy there are many little Restaurants and shops to explore, hiking trails,bike trails, by night enjoy the live music at the local pub.  or visit the  the Glenn Curtis Museum.

Glenn Curtis was a pioneer in Aviation, he became the fastest man in the world on his Curtis motorcycle with an airplane engine.

Hammondsport is the beginning of the Keuka Lake wine trail where you can tour the wineries and sample the fine wines.

There is a lot to be said for small town living and small town retirement.  No big hustle and bustle of the big cities and a whole lot less crime.  Come enjoy the Finger Lakes and what they have to offer.

The Arcade Railroad

The Arcade Railroad is located in the town of Arcade,NY the railroad was founded in 1807. You can take a nostalgic train ride on the old steam engine through the country side.

Pick up your tickets in the old depot and browse the old railroad displays inside while waiting on the train.

Board the train take a seat and enjoy the ride with live music to entertain you on the ride.

It's about a half hour ride to the end of the track where the train stops to turn around, there is a snack bar  here where you can get a drink to wash down all the coal dust & smoke that you breathed in..

The old number 22 sits and the end of the line where the kids can climb on board.

The railroad has had an active freight service record, transporting grain, milk, cheese, gasoline, cows, coal and mail.  When Arcade's Borden plant was in operation, the railroad transported Cremora all across the nation. The 1930's were the boom years for the Arcade Railroad. 

 The Arcade Railroad in it's glory days..............

AJ's Motel

The word Motel was coined in 1925 and referred to a type of hotel consisting of a single building of connected rooms whose doors faced a parking lot, aka. motor inn,motor courts. As the U.S. highway system began to develop in the mid 20’s long distance travel became more common and the need for inexpensive, easily accessible overnight accommodation close to the main routs led to the growth of the motel concept.  Motels peaked in the 1960’s with rising car travel only to decline with coming of the new chain hotels. Today few of these old motels exist any longer.  Here is one example of such a motel that has  been sitting vacant since the early 80’s called AJ's Motel, it sits along a stretch of highway 16 in the town of Hinsdle,NY as a remembrance of times past……….

Old Motel DeSoto

The old De Soto Motel sets on the outskirts of Olean,NY, in its days it was a grand little Motel with swimming pool in the center courtyard. I stayed here many times in my travels across the state. The Motel was built in the 1940's and closed in 2008 due to all the new fancy Motels that were built in the area. Now it just sits abandoned to time growing up in weeds.......

The Old Farm

This once thriving farm like so many across New York state has been abandoned  so now this big old barn just sets lost to another era and time. It's such a shame to see these beautiful old barns rotting to the ground today and the fields all grown up with weeds.

Old Erie Railroad Station

The old Erie Railroad Station located in the town of Salamanca,NY was built in 1904 and served many people through the years before being abandoned in the 1980's. It now sits rotting to the ground like so many others across the country. Our past history is slowly slipping away......

Old Homestead

This classy old homestead like so many others across NY state sits abandoned along the highway in the town of Italy Valley,NY. New York like so many other states has a great number of old houses just setting in disrepair, abandoned in time due to loss of jobs or being foreclosed.  These beautiful old homes are just being left to rot to the ground.....

The old Billsboro store

The old Billsboro store stands on the corner of Billsboro road in the berg of Billsboro,NY. My wife remembers, as a kid, she used to go there with her grandparents and it was stocked with ice cream treats and the best all day suckers ever.  

When we are kids, somehow we always think things will be there forever.  Then when we grow up we realize that isn't so.  

I could not find any vintage pictures of this place as a working store.  It's as if it has been forgotten and I suppose when all of us are gone, it will be remembered no more.  What a shame. 

The Hyde house

This old Octagon house was built by a Civil War veteran named Hyde in 1870 in the town of Friendship,NY. It stood in the town of Friendship for many many years finally sitting vacant for many years falling down. In 1974 the Genesee County Village and Museum bought the house and disassembled it having it moved to Mumford,NY. It was restored to its original glory  where it stands today for all to tour and enjoy it's beauty.

The old "Water cure Sanitarium"

The old Sanitarium was built in 1892 by Dr Henry Foster and was ran as a "water cure Sanitarium Spa", it stands 5 stories tall and is 244 ft. long with a cenical tower on each end.it is located in the beautiful Victorian town of Clifton Springs,NY. The Sulfur springs is said to be a natural cure for many ailments today and it is said that many movie stars have staid here including Marilyn Monroe. The Sanitarium closed in the 60's and was converted into a senior living apartment building in 1974 which features 119 apartments of which there are 61 efficiencie units, 55 one BR units and 3 two BR units.. Come visit Clifton Springs its like a step back in time...........

The Octagon House

This Octagon house is located in Hammondsport,NY and was built in 1859 by Timothy Younglove one of the founders of the Pleasant Valley Winery. This old house was completely

renovated and turned into a Bed & Breakfast and features  five guest rooms. It is now called the Black Sheep Inn. Rates for a nights stay range from $150 to $240 per night. 

Rural living in New York

The old mansion on a hill in Naples, New York.  This house, like so many others in rural New York, is abandoned.  People seem to feel building a new structure is cheaper than fixing up the old ones.  Preserving our past does not seem to be a sought after endeavor any longer.

Where will America be if all of her buildings and all of her past, are allowed to deteriorate and fall into decay?

Starting this picture page, I am hoping to help all of us remember when craftsmanship and beauty in building meant something.  When builders were artists and when they took much pride in what they constructed.  This is the first picture in what I hope to be a long and continuing series of how rural New Yorker's have lived and in some cases, still do live.  I hope you enjoy.