Southern Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway

One of 13 Scenic Byways of the Adirondack North Country

The communities along the Southern Adirondack Trail are Speculator, Lake Pleasant, Pisceo, Higgins Bay, Hoffmeister, Morehouse, Cold Brook, Poland, Newport, Middleville, Fairfield, Salisbury, Salisbury Center, Dolgeville, Little Falls, and Herkimer.
• The history of Speculator, Lake Pleasant and Pisceo includes that of resident Gene Tunney, the defending Heavy Weight Boxing Champion in the late 1920’s, who charged the locals fifty cents to see him practice. The Greek and Colonial Revival Style Hamilton County Courthouse Complex, in Lake Pleasant, is on the National Register, and has, since 1825, served as courthouse, government offices and jail.
  Mountain biking, camping at Moffit Beach, and hiking along Charlie Brown Lane, Speculator are some of the many ways to enjoy these Adirondack foothills and waterways. Artisans, such as Jack Leadley, renowned packbasket maker from Speculator can be found working in their studios. Traveling towards Lake Pleasant and around Pisceo Lake provides wonderful views as from the old Avery Hotel, in the Township of Arietta. Starting from Higgins Bay, this twenty mile section is a sportbikers dream; good to very good pavement, tightly packed curves, second and third gear all the way; one intersection and NO driveways.
• The history of Morehouse, Poland and the township of Russis comes alive with various family bios from Morehouse and from local histories of the hamlet of Poland and township of Russia. For those who enjoy watersports, Hinckley Lake is just minutes away, or canoe and kayak in local rivers and streams, or fish in West Canada Creek (one of New York's best trout streams). In Newport, cross the stone bridge which is on the National Register as is the Federal style Benjamin Bowen House, also known as "What Cheer Hall", built in the early 1800's.
• From Middleville, Route 29 in the direction of Salisbury, is on a plateau, where views of farms and hills stretch into the distance on both sides. At Salisbury Center, the Covered Bridge is the only original covered bridge in Herkimer County. Built in 1875, it is still in use today. Walk along the river in the tree-shaded park and listen to the fast-running rapids. The Salisbury Historical Society participates in the Covered Bridge Days on the first weekend in June and offers changing and permanent exhibits including those of cheesemaking, iron mine and mill models (there used to be nine mills along the river) in the restored 1805 Frisbie House, 315 429-3605.
• There are some nineteen structures and/or buildings on the National Register along the Southern Adirondack Trail. These websites provide general history and maps of Herkimer County. The history of this County before 1927 writes a line or two about most of the towns along the Southern Adirondack Trail.
  Herkimer County is also known for having some of the oldest quartz crystals, the Herkimer Diamonds, in the world. The Diamond Mines in Herkimer; the Ace of Diamonds Mine in Middleville; and the Treasure Mountain Diamond Mine in Little Falls, are some of the places where visitors can gather some of these doubly-terminated crystals (points at both ends). Mining can be as easy as picking them up off the ground or as difficult as breaking rock with hammers and chisels. The views while mining can be spectacular - Adirondack foothills to the north and Mohawk Valley to the south.
• The history of Dolgeville gives recognition to the man who put Dolgeville on the map, Alfred Dolge, as an important figure in American piano history. To capitalize on commercial possibilities he built large factories in what is now Dolgeville to make piano-felt, and to mass-produce sound-boards from Adirondack spruce at a price which individual piano manufacturers could not possibly match. Dolgeville's history as a stop on the Underground Railroad, with the abolitionist Zenas Brockett, is captured in a mural, painted through the New Deal art program, at the Dolgeville Post Office. Next on the Trail are the restored limestone building that housed the Daniel Green Slipper Company and the Lyndon Lyon African Violet Greenhouses. Professional botanists say Lyndon Lyon's cross-breeding, or hybridization, established him as the world's most important breeder of African violets. From here, it's a very short walk to the Dolgeville-Manheim Historical Society Museum, 315 429-8835.
• Little Falls - The General Herkimer State Historic Site near Little Falls pays homage to Herkimer County's namesake and Revolutionary War hero, General Nicholas Herkimer, a wealthy farmer who built his Georgian-style mansion in 1764. The home still stands as grand as it was more than 200 years ago. There are many period furnishings in the house, and the landscape is remarkably unchanged from the days when he lived there. Another well-known historic home, and restaurant, is the Beardslee Mansion, a castle based on one in Ireland whose owner also built a dam on the Mohawk River and sold electricity in 1898 to St. Johnsville and to farmers from the surrounding areas. The deep chimney potholes, scoured in the stone by the swirling waters, at the end of the last ice age, are a geological marvel. Many of the larger pot holes are located on Moss Island, adjacent to Lock 17. If one searches carefully, "Little Falls Diamonds" can be located along various outcroppings. Excellent examples of the unique crystals found in this area are on display at the Public Library and Little Falls Historical Society Museum. The society offers exhibits of Little Falls memorabilia, genealogical files, tours,and a gift shop featuring handmade crafts, antiques, linens and postcards. Parks like Moreland Park, for example, located in a wooded setting, offer facilities for family and small group picnics and outings. There is also, located along the south bank of the Erie Canal, the Miller Bicycle and Exercise Trail, ideal for taking a casual walk. Interpretive signs of the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor are found in and around Little Falls. Since 1988, each year in August, Little Falls celebrates a mini 5 day Mardi Gras, Canal Days. Enjoy glimpses into the history of Little Falls.
• Herkimer - The Herkimer County Historical Society, located in a Queen Anne style building, is one of four buildings on the National Register at Herkimer's Historic Four Corners. It offers a local and genealogical research library, rotating and permanent exhibits and tours of the Keller Doll House. It contains the 1834 Jail Gift Shop which offers souvenirs, books and gifts relevant to the area, a library, and many exhibits about historical events in Herkimer County. Across the street is the Herkimer County Courthouse, built in 1848, and close by, is the original 1834 county jail, made famous in "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser. It's the jail where Chester Gillette waited for his trial for the Grace Brown murder. Enjoy the pictorial history of the village of Herkimer from the early 1900's to 2002 contrasted with the latest artwork on exhibit at the Herkimer Community College Cogar Art Gallery.

Maps of Adirondack North Country
and Tourist Oriented Signage