New York State History

Partly because of the rich heri­tage of the generations that have lived and built here, partly because of the land itself, the territory served by the Niagara Mohawk System is a place where living standards are high. The percent­age of home ownership is exceptionally high. Civic pride and interest in civic affairs are keen. Churches are numerous and influential in community lives. The educational leadership of the area is attested by its excellent school systems and the outstanding reputation of its colleges and universities.

When New York people turn from their work for recreation, their own countryside offers them every variety of sport and outdoor life all seasons of the year. Few states possess such a wide range of recreational activities within their own borders. In the area served by Niagara Mohawk, vacation seekers may find fishing for bass, pike and muskies along the St. Lawrence, for trout and other game fish in the hundreds of lakes. Game abounds in the wilds of the Adirondacks. For fresh water sailors, the two 'Inland seas" on New York's boundaries, Lakes Erie and Ontario, and the mountain and Finger Lakes offer ample room for their hobby.

Many return year after year to their favorite lakeside or mountain vaca­tion haunts. Others have summer homes among the beauties of the Thousand Islands, or lodges in the mountain coun­try. Thousands more are attracted by resorts at Saratoga, Lake George, the numerous Adirondack lakes, Oneida Lake, and elsewhere. There are special activities for every taste, from the musi­cal and educational programs at Chautauqua to the racing at Saratoga. Many resorts, such as those at Snow Ridge, Old Forge, North Creek, and Lake George, are popular for skiing during the winter months.

For the sightseer there are count­less attractions. Niagara Falls leads them all, as the year-round stream of visitors testifies. Spectacular and beautiful are the panoramas of forests, fields, and lakes that characterize upstate New York. All the North Country, from Cape Vincent and the Thousand Islands along the St. Lawrence and throughout the Adirondacks, is a region of varied scenic wonder.

As a place to live, to work, and to play, the great region of New York State served by Niagara Mohawk con­tinues to be a land of opportunity.