Escort Notes

Itineraries | Accommodations & Dining | Things to Do | Credentials

When touring Ontario County's Lake Country, be sure to tell your group about our extensive history. The following are some of the many interesting, little known facts about our area.
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Historical

• Native American legend says the Finger Lakes were formed when the "Great Spirit" laid his hands on this land to bless it. The imprint left behind formed the lakes.
• South Hill on Canandaigua Lake is believed to be the birthplace of the Seneca Indian Nation.

Geographic

• The Finger Lakes flow from south to north.
• You can reach Seneca Lake by boat from the Gulf of Mexico.
• Squaw Island, visible from Canandaigua's City Pier, is the smallest state-managed property in New York.
• Bristol Mountain has the highest vertical rise for skiing between the Adirondacks and the Rockies - 1200 feet straight down.

People

• Susan B. Anthony was tried and convicted of treason for voting and fined 100 dollars at the Ontario County Court House in Canandaigua.
• Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in America, graduated from Geneva College in 1849.
• Naples natives Doc and Katy Abraham are nationally known for their gardening books, radio and television programs.
• Sonnenberg Gardens was the summer home of Mary Clark Thompson and her husband F.F. Thompson. She was western New York's leading benefactress!
• Naples resident Myron Clark became the first Republican governor of New York State.

Innovations

• The Northern Spy apple originated in East Bloomfield.
• The Empire apple was produced and "designed" in Geneva, at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.
• The vinifera grape revolution began in the Finger Lakes.
• The Finger Lakes is the largest wine producing region outside of California, and Canandaigua Wine Company is the second largest wine producer in the nation.
• Phelps is known for its Sauerkraut Festival held the first weekend in August - one of the oldest community festivals in New York State.
• Home of the New York Wine and Culinary Center.
• New York's Erie Canal was conceived in Canandaigua by a man serving time as a debtor.

Little Known Facts

• Seneca Lake is a testing ground for U.S. Navy submarines.
• Geneva, known as the Lake Trout Capital of the World, was the first Western New York settlement to have an official post office, dedicated church, glass factory, YMCA, and a free public library.
• Hobart College's lacrosse team has won many national championships.
• Nearby Yates County has a large community of Mennonites.
• Naples is viewed as an artist's haven.
• Grape Pies are a famous part of Naples' annual Wine and Grape Festival.
• In 1990, Canandaigua was called the "fastest growing city in New York State."
• Over 175 stores are located in the Victor area, anchored by the Eastview Mall.
• The first agricultural experiment in New York State was established in Geneva and still continues to do research.
• Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center is home to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Major employers in Ontario County are hospitals/medical services and educational institutions. The number one industry is agriculture, followed by tourism.