Great Lakes Seaway Trail

PRESS RELEASE: June 15, 2010
Contact: Teresa Mitchell, 315-646-1000

Celebrate 10th Anniversary of Seaway Trail Discovery Center July 15

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center located in Sackets Harbor, NY

One of the exhibits in the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center

Sackets Harbor, NY -- On Thursday, July 15, 2010, the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center at the corner of Ray and West Main Streets overlooking the Sackets Harbor, NY waterfront will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Visitors will be provided free admission to the three-story, nine-room travel and tourism attraction, giveaways, gift shop discounts, refreshments including cake from Chrissy Beanz Bakery, and the opportunity to win prizes.

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center opened July 15, 2000, as the first America’s Byways interpretive center in the U.S. The Center is open daily July 1 through Labor Day and then Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Columbus Day Weekend.

The Federal Highway Administration designated the 518-mile-long series of roads along the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie as a first-round National Scenic Byway in 1996. The route is also a National Recreation Trail. The route includes Niagara Falls, the 1000 Islands, Rochester, Buffalo, and Presque Isle, PA.

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center is housed in the historic former Union Hotel, built of native limestone in 1817-1818 to take advantage of the post-War of 1812 hotel trade. The building is a fine example of Federal-style architecture.

In the old hotel’s backbar room, an amazingly lifelike animatronic Ulysses S. Grant tells people he played checkers there while stationed at nearby Madison Barracks as a young Army Lieutenant. A life-size “talking” cow tells people about farming and the sweet taste of milk, berries and other products made on the Seaway Trail. Push-button anglers tell tales of the fabulous sportfishing found in the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario and Salmon River.

Floor-to-ceiling murals hand-painted by Buffalo artist David Miller show the shoreline, field and forest beauty of the byway and its fabulous birdwatching opportunities.

The architecture room invites visitors to travel the byway to find a collection of more than half a dozen buildings designed by American architectural master Frank Lloyd Wright and the parks created by Frederick Law Olmstead. The maritime heritage room features the WPBS-produced Seaway Trail Lighthouses video. There are now 30 historic and replica lights seen on the byway.

The War of 1812, French and Indian War, scenic driving and recreation, nature touring and other travel enticements are found in Center exhibits.

The Seaway Trail Foundation operates the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center with a mission to educate and invite visitors to travel through New York’s and Pennsylvania’s freshwater shoreline region and experience life in the 86 communities of the byway’s 11 counties. The building is owned by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and is accessible by Americans with Disabilities.

For more information, contact Great Lakes Seaway Trail, PO Box 660, Sackets Harbor, NY, 315-646-1000, www.seawaytrail.com. #