Town of the Week, April 25, 1998

Take a visit to Oswego, New York; just listen in.

Oswego, New York

Schooners, sloops and steamers have been built and sailed from Lake Oswego for nearly 200 years. After all, this is not only a world port on Lake Ontario, it's the first port of call on the Great Lakes, and the oldest freshwater port in North America.

Like Wisconsin, the New York state town of Oswego is celebrating its Susquicentennial this year. Oswego sits within an old Military Tract, land set aside to reward veterans of the Revolution. In fact, much of the acreage was once owned by Alexander Hamilton, and sold to pay his debts after his fateful encounter with Aaron Burr.

The Oswego River is one of those few in the country which flows north, and is a part of the historic New York State Barge Canal. Some of the world's largest salmon and trout can be caught in this region.

The old Normal School at Oswego is the precursor to today's SUNY Oswego. You can trace the history of the town through walking tours; and visits to old Fort Ontario, where safe haven was provided to more than 1,000 Jewish refugees from Europe during World War 2; and to the White Marine Museum and the Richardson-Bates House Museum.

This town of 120 thousand celebrates its 150th birthday with Harborfest July 23rd through 25th. Parades, fireworks, music stages, and tall ships simulating battles in the harbor, should provide a stirring visit to our Town of the Week, Oswego, New York.

. . . the Catskills are the home of the legend of Rip Van Winkle, brown trout and flycasting. . . . at the site of the Falls, the Niagara River spills 40 million gallons of water 180 feet downward each minute across a ragged ledge nearly 2/3 of a mile wide. . . . the term "The Big Apple" was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930s who used the slang expression "apple" for any town or city. To play New York City is to play the big time - THE BIG APPLE. . . . "Uncle Sam" was a meatpacker from Troy, New York. During the War of 1812, Sam Wilson stamped "U.S. Beef" on his products and soldiers interpreted that as Uncle Sam. His caricature later came to personify the United States. His gravesite is located in Oakwood Cemetery in Troy. . . . the first railroad in America ran between Albany and Schenectady, a distance of 11 miles.

Offical NY tourism site New York Convention & Visitors' Bureau Oswego County Dept. of Tourism

Motto: Excelsior (Ever upward) Flower: Rose Tree: Sugar maple Bird: Red-breasted bluebird Fruit: Apple Fish: Brook trout Muffin: Apple Muffin Animal: Beaver Gem: Wine-red garnet Fossil: Eurypterus Remipes Song: "I Love NY"

Info for "D'ja Know?" and "Fun Facts" compiled from the New York State Government web site.