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Pedestrian Detail: walking tours along the seaway trail
By Susan Peterson

Sea captains' homes, tree lined village streets, busy harbors, tranquil gardens of phlox, peony and iris... all, inarguably, best appreciated on foot. Dozens of spots along the trail invite you to park the car and explore in pedestrian detail. Walking is good for your heart (and your head, as well) so take time to smell the roses and tour the Trail's cities, villages or historic sites in the `slow lane.'

    Nearly every settlement along the trail offers maps and itineraries for walking around town (see list of suggestions at end of article) or there is always the time-honored discovery method of creating your own journey afoot. One way to add interest to a vacation is to knit together destinations with a common theme. The Seaway Trail's fascinating heritage harbors are one such possibility. So, get yourself a pair of comfortable walking shoes, pack the picnic basket, make sure you have enough film and come on along! We've got a lot of exploring to do!

    Waterfront walks along the trail range from the bustling urban harbor of Buffalo (where you can eat a hotdog on shore and watch an ocean-going freighter maneuver a hundred yards away) to tiny, almost forgotten harbors like Pultneyville, where we'll pause a while.

Pultneyville

Often described as a town that time forgot, the sleepy hamlet of Pultneyville was once an active commercial port. A particularly good time to visit is on the third Saturday of July (July 17,1999) for the Pultneyville Homecoming. Among the events are guided walking tours of the town's harbor and historic district. How convenient!

    If you want to take your own self-guided tour at another time, park at the Pultneyville Pickle Company at the intersection of Hamilton and Lake Roads. Proceed east down Lake Road to the Salmon Creek bridge and look north towards the present day port of Pultneyville. Today the dredged mouth of Salmon Creek is brimming with yachts, but as recently as the 1930s, it hosted commercial traffic. The red barn on the creek's east side was once a warehouse where schooners laden with lumber and cedar fence posts from Canada tied up. The west branch of the creek was a shipbuilder's slip in the 1800s and site of a steam operated sawmill.

    A walk down Hamilton Street extension on a summer day takes you to the grounds of the Pultneyville Yacht club. The nearby knoll offers a good view of the harbor and of Appleboom Point to the north, an early landmark for lake mariners before the days of charts and lighthouses. On the east side of the harbor a small sand beach (now privately leased by a sailing club) once attracted summer swimmers from as far away as Rochester. In the 1920s and 30s this little park featured a dance pavilion, band concerts, and hot dog stand `much favored by local residents.'

    Continuing east on Lake Road, two noteworthy landmarks relating to the harbor are Captains Monument, overlooking the open lake, and a cobblestone house built in 1832-33 where Pultneyville's best known lake captain lived. Among Horatio Nelson Throop's claims to fame was his cooperation with a noted Pultneyville abolitionist, Samuel Cuyler. The two ferried many `cargoes' of runaway slaves to Canada by steamer.

Oswego

About a 45-minute drive east of Pultneyville lies a considerably larger and busier harbor, that of Oswego. Still active with a weekly cement boat, tankers and occasional seagoing freighters, Oswego claims the title of being America's oldest freshwater port.Oswego's Harbor recently acquired a formal Historic Maritime District designation wich encompasses th H. Lee White Marine Museum, the Oswego Maritime Foundation and the World War II vintage tug, The Nash. The district's history spans 300 years of maritime activity. At the Goble Shipyard and drydock, now occupied by the Oswego Maritime Foundation, over 30 schooners were built.

    You can restrict your walk to the District, located at the north end of West First Street or if feeling mildly energetic, extend your ramble to include the hilltop overlook just to the west and into Brietbeck Park. This gives an excellent vantage point from which to watch the harbor traffic below. A stroll around adjoining streets will take you to some beautiful old homes which are lovely in any season of year. Wright's Landing is homeport to large and small sail boats, charter fishermen, and power yachts of varying size and type. On the river's west side you may spy the regular cement carrier unloading its cargo, while across the river look for an occasionaly `salty' (ocean-worthy vessel) bringing aluminum ingots or a cargo of fertilizer into port, or perhaps loading veneer grade logs for export.

    Oswego generally sees a dozen or so `foreign' ships each season in addition to its regular lake traffic. If you walk across the Route 104 Bridge you can look down on the first lock of the Oswego canal and watch yachts or small passenger carriers locking through. Oswego's harbor today remains a crossroads, just as it was in the days when guardian Fort Ontario was newly built, or when the English traded furs with the Iroquois. It's a fifteen minute walk from the bridge to Fort Ontario, now a well-preserved state historic site perhaps best known for its roll in the Civil War.

Sackets Harbor

About an hour's drive beyond Oswego lies another waterfront walk at Sackets Harbor. While it's possible to stroll most of Sackets' waterfront in an hour or so, you're more apt to spend a whole day here. One possible route starts you on the west side of the village at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield (a state historic site) where you can read the plaques for yourself or, during the summer, enjoy a guided tour from costumed interns. The officer's quarters on the waterfront are particularly well preserved. This is, by the way, a perfect spot to watch the majestic sunsets for which Sackets is quite famous.

    Walking from the Battlefield along Main Street, you first come to the Pickering-Beach Museum, then the beautiful old Union Hotel which, next year, will serve as headquarters and interpretive center for the Seaway Trail. Just beyond the hotel is the Sackets Harbor Visitors Center, the original home of the town's founder, Augustus Sacket. The mansion now houses exhibits and village information. Here and at many businesses in town you can purchase a handy architectural walking tour guidebook for a modest fee.

    A stroll along Main Street leads to a cluster of restaurants and shops ending with the historic Bank Building, an outstanding example of local cut limestone construction. The `Bank Building' houses the Lime Rock Gallery of Sporting Art as well as the Sackets Harbor Historical Society Museum.

    A left turn on Broad Street and a five minute walk brings you to the gates of Madison Barracks, a former U.S. army base with early military architecture. The stone and brick buildings—some dating to the War of 1812 and operating through WWII—have been beautifully restored and converted to a residential resort with a few shops and eateries such as Old Stone Row and Barracks Inn.

    Bikes are for rent at the Ontario Place Hotel on General Smith Drive. Much of the terrain around Sackets Harbor is quite flat so the country roads here are ideal biking territory. Hopefully you've made arrangements to stay at one of the village's lovely B&Bs!

Cape Vincent

About a half hour drive beyond Sackets Harbor, lies the scenic Thousand Islands region where the Seaway Trail parallels the St. Lawrence River. Here a string of river resort towns—Cape Vincent, Clayton and Alexandria Bay—offer walking tours. Let's spend some time in the `Cape.'

    At Cape Vincent you can stroll the village's tree lined streets where international conspirators and spies once plotted. Their mission was to bring the exiled `Emperor' Napoleon Bonaparte to the Cape where they would then work to regain his empire recently lost at Waterloo. (Napoleon perished, of course, before their plan could be realized.)

    A walk along the waterfront today may reward you with a close look at a giant freighter as it maneuvers off shore. The ships often exchange pilots here as they move from river to lakes and you can watch the small pilot boat running along side the ship to make the transfer. It's great fun, especially on bicycle, to take the Horne's Ferry to Wolfe Island and then on to Kingston, Ontario and back. A short walk from the ferry landing is the Cape Vincent fisheries station and aquarium, where live local game species are on display.

    If you're walking, it's quite a haul down to the Tibbett's Point lighthouse (and American Youth Hostel) but you should make the effort to get there, as the sunsets are sensational. By bike, it's a breeze! If you're short of time or out of energy, drive the two miles and then walk a bit just before the sun goes down. You'll be glad you did.

    We leave you now and encourage you to explore these many other architectural, historical, geologoical and botanical walking tours along the Trail. We hope you'll find the following sources of information helpful.

    Now, put on those walking shoes, get out there and enjoy. Hopefully we've whetted your appetite for exploring our fascinating shoreline in the `slow lane.'

Additional Seaway Trail

Walking Tours & Info

Chautauqua Institution: renown 19th century summer retreat/cultural/educational site whose architecture and grounds remain little changed from its heydey. 716.357.6200

Buffalo/Erie County: City offers a number of historical, architectural and botanical tours. 1.800.Buffalo

Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens: 716.696.3555

Niagara County: Tours of the Niagara Gorge, botanical gardens, geological aspects and midwinter Festival of Lights. 800.338.7890

Orleans County: Cobblestone Historical Complex in Childs is a wonderful cluster of this unique architectural style. 800.724.0314

Rochester & Monroe County: Explore the Genesee River Gorge, historic Mount Hope Cemetery, East Avenue mansions & museums, parks and botanical gardens. 1.800.677.7282

Landmark Society of Western New York (Rochester): 716.546.7029

Pultneyville Historical Society. Walking tour of historic port. 716.589.6965

Cayuga County Historical Walking Tours: 1.800.499.9615

Oswego Heritage Foundation: Self-guided tours of the city's notable squares, neighborhoods and historic waterfront. 315.342.3354

Sackets Harbor Visitor Center: Three historic preservation districts: Battlefield, downtown area, and Madison Barracks. Self-guided walking tour book available. 315.646.1700 or 315-646-2321.

Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce: Walking tour of waterfront area and historic structures. 315.654.2481

Clayton Chamber of Commerce: Walking tour of St. Lawrence resort village. 1.800.252.9806

Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce: Walking tour of classic river resort area. 1.888.HEART.TI

Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce: historic walking tour with many War of 1812 signposts. 1.800.334.BURG

Village of Morristown: 315.375.8822.

Massena Chamber of Commerce: 315.769.3525. Or inquire at the St. Lawrence County Chamber: 315.386.4000