Seneca Oil, historic marker
"First petroleum discovered in the United States in 1627 one mile north and 1000 yards east." The first discovery of oil in America occured here near Cuba, New York. The oil spring is located near the spillway end of Cuba Lake on the Oil Springs Reservation, Allegany County, New York.This is the site of the famed spring described by the Franciscan Missionary Joseph De La Roche D'Allion in 1627, the first recorded mention of oil on the North American Continent.In 1927, the New York State Oil Producers Association sponsored the dedication of a monument at the site describing the history of the oil industry in North America. The site is now under the supervision of the County of Allegany and a picnic area is available for those visiting there.More info
Bush Hill State Forest
The 3,278-acre Bush Hill State Forest provides many outdoor recreational opportunities, the most common of which are hunting and hiking.In the 1930s, Bush Hill was the site of many work projects carried out by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC, established by the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, provided employment opportunities for young men during the depression. CCC projects included the construction of roads and the planting of thousands of pine, larch, and spruce trees in the open areas on this property.Some conifer trees were planted by school children on the former Union Free School District #1 property around 1939. This property was located somewhere north of Clark Road and is now part of state ownership. This plantation area was supposed to be set aside as a "School Forest." Today there is no way to tell which trees these might be or even if they still exist.Water holes were constructed by the CCC to provide water for fire protection of young plantations and in some cases to water trees. Some of these rock-lined water holes still exist on this unit. A nice example that can be visited today is a water hole with stone steps that is located near the Hardy Corners Road log landing.Most of this property was cleared farm land at some time in the past, before state ownership. The remains of old stone foundations for houses and barns and rock-lined water wells are all the evidence that can be found of these today.Maple syrup production was a common farm activity in this area. The remains of "sugar arches" that were used to make maple syrup can be found in some parts of the forest. These consisted of large metal pans built over a rock base. A wood fire was built under the pan to boil sap.This area has been managed to provide a large amount of young forest habitat. New aspen stands that will provide grouse habitat are located off the Fox Cross Forest Road. Other mixed stands of hardwood (maples, ash, black cherry, and oaks) and conifer (spruces and pines) are nearing the stage where the stand canopy will soon fill in and shade the understory.Forest stands have been recently cut on this state forest, making young forests consisting of mixed hardwood and conifer that are just beginning to grow. After these young stands begin to mature, more forest blocks will be cut to create new young forest stands. This type of forest management ensures a variety of habitats are available for wildlife while keeping lumber production economically and ecologically sustainable.Some wildlife that might be seen on the unit are white-tailed deer, grouse, turkey, fox, squirrel and coyote.Info from NYS DECLearn more abou the history of New York's state forestsFLT Map M5
Farmersville State Forest
The 1,144-acre Farmersville State Forest is a popular hunting and hiking destination.In the 1930s Farmersville was the site of many work projects carried out by the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC. The CCC, established by the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, provided employment opportunities for young men during the depression. CCC projects included the construction of roads and the planting of thousands of pine, larch and spruce trees in the open areas on the property. Water holes were constructed to provide water for fire protection of young plantations and in some cases to water trees. Some of these rock lined water holes still exist on the unit.Most of the property was cleared for farm land at some time in the past. House holes, stone foundations and sometimes old wells can be found.Maple syrup production was historically a common farm activity in this area. The remains of "sugar arches" can be found in some parts of the forest. These consisted of large metal pans built over a rock base. A wood fire was built under the pan to boil sap.Info from NYS DECLearn more about the history of New York's state forestsFLT Map M5
Swift Hill State Forest
Swift Hill State Forest covers a total of 1,569 acres. The forest contains a mixture of native hardwood species and planted conifers.The area was settled in the early 1800s. Much of the land now comprising the state forest was cleared for agriculture, but by the early 1900s much of the worn-out farmland was being abandoned and reverting once again to forest. After State acquisition in the 1930s, the fields were planted with a variety of conifers by the Civilian Conservation Corps.The former Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad bed borders the forest on its eastern boundary (which accounts for the long curve in the boundary line). This railroad, which ran from Buffalo to Wellsville and on into Pennsylvania, operated from 1907 to 1916. A large concrete culvert still exists under the railroad bed, just outside the state forest boundary.Info from the NYS DECLearn more about the history of New York's state forestsFLT Map M5
Portageville, New York
Portageville is named after the Native American canoeists who withdrew their crafts from the water to avoid going over three waterfalls in the Genesee River gorge now known as Portage Falls. They transported their canoes on land for several miles to the site of Mount Morris before traveling again on the river.The Genesee River Gorge has been called the Grand Canyon of the East and is known today as Letchworth State Park.The First Universalist Church of Portageville, erected in 1841, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.More infoFLT Map M6
William Pryor Letchworth Museum
The William Pryor Letchworth Museum is located at Letchworth State Park and showcases the work of Letchworth, who was a businessman and charity leader, to preserve the land and history of people from this spectacular area. Displays include the story of William P Letchworth himself, the history of the Genesee Valley, and the lives of the many groups of people who have lived here, including the "Echoes from the Glen" which tell the story of the Seneca, Mary Jemison, the Genesee Valley Canal. Check the museum for seasonal hours.Read more about the Letchworth Museum Additional info
Angelica Historic District
Angelica, just off the interstate, was settled in 1802 and established in 1805 by Captain Philip Church who was a nephew of Alexander Hamilton. Church named the town after his mother, Angelica Schuyler Church. The Angelica Park Circle is the center of a number of historic community structures built on its circumference. and the 900 acre historic district includes x buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Concerts, festivals, a farmers' market, and other entertainments take place there year round.Angelica possesses the classic attributes of a premiere cultural tourism destination. There are dozens of historic buildings, many of which are included in a 900-acre National Historic District. It has a rich history as a mill town and later as a hub on the Pittsburg, Shawmut, and Northern Railroads. Residents take great pride in their community with its wide, tree lined Main Street, its elegant and historic homes, and beautiful, rural vistas. Angelica also has the longest clear-span timber bridge in the entire USA! Along West Main Street there are numerous shops offering antiques, collectibles, artisans, gifts, and 19th-century lodging establishments. This is an active community that provides the community with many festivals and entertaining events such as The Lavender Festival, Heritage days, well done Cruise Night car shows and the Great Allegany County Fair. Angelica's history, architecture, and culture have made it a place people want to visit for a day, a weekend, or a lifetime.Learn more
Nunda Historical Society
The Town of Nunda, within the Morris Reserve, was founded in 1808 as a part of Allegany County. The name is from Nunda-wa-ono, a Seneca Indian tribe that once lived in the beautiful hills and valleys along the Genesee river and Keshequa stream within the Township of Nunda. In the Seneca language, "Nunda" relates to hills and a popular translation is "Where the valley meets the hills". Read a short history of NundaVisit the Nunda Museum and Rose Shave GalleryTake a self-guided walking tourFLT Map M7
Indian cabin, historic marker
The marker is located In Dansville on Nunda-Dansville Road just east of Shute Rd.It reads, "Nearby is the site of the last cabin in this town, occupied by the Senecas, before their removal to the Buffalo reservation in 1826."More infonear FLT Map M7
Telegraph Road, historic marker
The marker is on Nunda-Dansville Rd (New York State Route 436), on the right when traveling west.It reads, "Route of New York and Erie Telegraph Line constructed in 1848, under the supervision of Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University."More infonear FLT Map M7
Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area
The primary purposes of Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are for wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation. This WMA is a 5,100-acre upland tract, situated approximately eight miles west of Dansville. Roughly two-thirds of the area lies in southern Livingston County, while the remaining third lies in northern Allegany County.The tract was purchased in the 1930s under the Federal Resettlement Administration and is one of several such areas turned over to DEC for development as a wildlife management area. The area is appropriately named after the timber rattlesnake, which historically was found in the more remote sections of the "Hill."Information from the NYS DECFLT Map M8
Swain, New York
The village of Swain was known as a 19th-century railroad junction and today is the site of a small ski resort.The Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad (PS&N) operated between the coal mines of northern Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier and once included the old "Swains Branch" that ran from Nunda to Swain around the turn of the 20th century.The Rochester, Nunda and Pennsylvania Railroad was a 3-foot narrow gauge railway that connected the towns of Nunda and Swain with the Rochester, New York and Pennsylvania Railroad at Nunda Junction to the north and with the Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad at Swain to the southeast. The route originally paralleled the Genesee Valley Canal to Mount Morris, but that portion was abandoned in 1881 in favor of a connection with the RNY&P at Nunda Junction. Later that year, the RN&P was consolidated into the RNY&P, and the railroad was leased to the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway the following year, eventually coming under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad.The segment of the line between Nunda and Swains was abandoned in 1910. The line north from Nunda to Nunda Junction was abandoned in 1963.Read a short history of SwainFLT Map M8
Slader Creek and Klipnocky State Forests
Slader Creek State Forest covers a total of 1,229 acres and contains a mixture of native hardwood species and planted conifers. The area gets its name from the picturesque stream touches the northern portion of the state forest with several tributaries flowing through the forest. Much of the streambed is bedrock, with many cascades and small waterfalls.Klipnocky State Forest covers 2,634 acres and borders both Slader Creek State Forest and Gas Springs State Forest. The origin of the name "Klipnocky" is uncertain. Local folklore includes stories about a race of Bigfoot-like creatures known as "The Hairy Women of Klipnocky". What is certain is that Klipnocky State Forest occupies extremely rocky and remote country. Several old stone quarries can be found on the area. The most recent quarrying was during the construction of the Almond Dam in the 1940s. Several of the old quarries have been converted to wildlife ponds.Stone walls run through the woods with sizeable rocks cleared in the days before motorized equipment in an attempt to bring the land under cultivation. Almost half of the acreage was cleared and farmed prior to state acquisition.The forest includes a mixture of native hardwoods, native conifers and planted conifers. The upland slopes are primarily hardwood species such as sugar maple, white ash, red maple, red oak and beech. Occasional stands of native eastern hemlock are present. The old fields were planted during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps, with a variety of conifer species including red pine, Scotch pine, white pine, larch and spruce.Info on Slader Creek and Klipnocky from NYS DECLearn more about the history of New York's state forestsFLT Map M9
Almond, New York
Settled in 1821 by Scottish frontiersman, Almond's name is inspired by the Almond Valley in Scotland. Today Almond has several notable sites, including The Hagadorn House -- home to three generations of the Hagadorn family and open occasionally to visitors; the Grange -- one of the town's original school buildings; and Kanakadea LakeVisit the historical societyRead a short article on Almond's historyFLT Map M9
Bully Hill State Forest
The 3,513-acre Bully Hill State Forest provides opportunities for hiking, snowmobiling, camping, bird watching, nature photography and hunting. Note that state forest roads are not plowed in the winter unless there is an on-going timber sale. The forest is a source of raw material for New York's forest products industry, which provides employment and income for many New Yorkers and provides habitat for wildlife species such as deer, rabbit, grouse and turkey.In the 1930s, Bully Hill State Forest was the site of many work projects carried out by the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC. The CCC, established by the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, provided employment opportunities for young men during the Great Depression. CCC projects included the construction of roads and the planting of thousands of pine and spruce trees in the open areas on the property.Info from NYS DECLearn more about the history of New York's state forestsFLT Map M9
Anna Cadogan Etz historic marker
"Anna Cadogan Etz (1863-1953) Speeches & news columns helped women obtain right to vote in NY state. Lifelong Hornell resident."Her newspaper column “Suffrage Notes and Comments” appeared in 40 newspapers from 1912 to 1917 when women in New York State were given the right to vote. She was active in the New York State Women’s Suffrage Association and was a founder of the Hornell Equality League of Self-Supporting women."More infoFLT Map M10
Hornell Erie Depot Museum
Housed in the historic Hornell Depot, the museum features an array of Erie train memorabilia and photographs. The City of Hornell created the museum in 2005 to preserve the history and mementos of the men and women of the Hornell area, and of the Hornell area railroad industry; and to educate the public on the history of the people and of the industry which formed the backbone of the Hornell community.Learn moreFLT Map M10
Finger Lakes Boating Museum
The Finger Lakes Boating Museum was created in 1996and preserves and shares the boating activities and boat building heritage of the Finger Lakes. The museum's collection includes more than 200 boats built by many of the 40+ commercial builders identified to date as having built boats throughout the Finger Lakes Region during the last century. The museum is housed in the historic former Taylor Wine Company's main building. Visitors can see canoes, rowboats, row outboards, outboard runabouts, inboards, hydroplanes, and sailboats. Many related artifacts and ephemera are also on display.The main building contains an active boat shop where visitors are able to see restoration projects underway. More infoFLT Map M12
Hammondsport, New York
Hammondsport was first settled in 1792; the village was incorporated in 1856. In addition to its scenic location at the foot of Keuka Lake, it is known for its contributions both to the New York State wine industry as well as to aviation. The first grapes in the region were planted by Reverend Bostwick in 1829; the area's first winery, Pleasant Valley Wine Company, was founded in 1860. In 1958 Dr. Konstantin Frank, a Ukrainian Ph.D. and immigrant, began succesfully cultivating delicate viniefera grapes in the cold climate of the Finger Lakes, influencing many others to make fine European-style wines.Hammondsport features a number of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Pleasant Valley Wine Company complex, Germania Wine Cellars, Gold Seal Winnery, Hammondsport Union Free School, Malllory Mill, and Pulteney Square Historic District.Learn more about HammondsportFLT Map M12
Glenn Curtiss Museum
The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, is dedicated to the memory of pioneer aviator Glenn Hammond Curtiss and showcases a collection focused on early aviation and regional history. In addition to seeing the museum displays and exhibits, visitors are welcome to visit the Restoration Shop, talk with volunteer craftsman and watch them work on historic aircraft.Visit the museumFLT Map M12
