Lake Canandaigua and Seneca Lake

We wanted to explore the Finger Lakes area of New York state further, so we left the motorhome this morning and drove west to start our circle loop through the western Finger Lakes. These lakes are slender, north/south stretches of water, created by ancient glaciers. The name derives from their resemblance to fingers, and they do in fact resemble the scratches made by fingers on the land. There are eleven lakes, however, so unless God had eleven fingers…..

Our first stop was in the village of Clifton Springs, which has a minimal Law Enforcement Department.

But the town boasts a number of houses that make our mouths drop open. What a house! We've seen so many wonderful old houses in the east this year that we're almost on overload.

Two large brick buildings caught our eye as we cruised through Clifton Springs. This turreted structure,

and, across the street, another brick block of a building.

So, here's the story: Dr. Henry Foster arrived in Clifton Springs in 1850 with the intent to establish a "sanitarium" which used the local spring water in spa treatments. At the time, mineral water baths were all the rage, with well-to-do clients spending huge amounts of money for the social and health benefits of the water. Clifton Springs is blessed with a stream that contains a fairly large amount of Sulphur, so it was a logical choice for the spa.

Dr. Foster had a slightly different take on the water treatment thing, believing that the well-being of the body depends not only on exterior application of beneficial treatments, but also should include proper nutrition, physical exercise, and most important of all, spiritual peace. The first building in the pics above is the original hospital built by Dr. Foster. The interior was done in marble for ease of cleaning, and in the heart of the building, a chapel was built that includes a Tiffany Glass reproduction of Da Vinci's Last Supper from the Sistine Chapel. As the clientele grew, the second building was built across the street to house nursing services, maternity rooms, and what we would now call "out patient" services. Occupational Therapy services were also housed here, a concept that first developed here in Dr. Foster's Hospital. This building is now a low-income apartment building.

Dr. Foster's house is adjacent to the Hospital, which is no longer in use as a hospital, having been converted to an assisted living facility. In the 1970's, a new hospital was built immediately behind the original hospital, and the brick structure was slated for demolition. After several days of wrecking ball action, the building remained intact, so plan B was implemented: Save it and repurpose it! The Chapel remains intact and is available for use, but construction activity today put it off limits for us.

Dr. Foster's house:

Trivia: In 1882, George Washington Lisk arrives in Clifton Springs at the age of 21 to work in his uncles' hardware store. In his spare time, he made custom tinware items 1 piece at a time in a shop behind the hardware store. By 1886, G.W. Lisk had established an enterprise to produce chamber and commode pails, and in 1888 Lisk Mfg. Co. is organized in Clifton Springs with patents for anti-rust pail bottoms. Through the years, until the 1940's the business continued to enjoy modest success, with a low point during the depression when it only made $934 for the year. After WW II, new technology convinced the third generation of the Lisk family to expand into specialty manufacturing, and today G.W. Lisk Company, Inc. is the largest manufacturer of high tech solenoids for space, aviation, Navy, ground, and automotive use. So there you have it….chamber pots to aerospace in 130 years!

Next in our day trip was the village of Canandaigua. Famous for the Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park, Canandaigua is located at the north end of Canandaigua Lake. We were able to get a long distance photo of the mansion, but didn't tour the gardens because they are being prepared for winter by covering with large greenhouse structures.

South on NY 21 brought us to South Briston and Woodville. We were looking for a particular viewpoint for the lake, but were unable to find it, so we stopped for lunch instead at the Sawmill Restaurant. Located on the shores of the lake, the restaurant provides a great patio area overlooking the water.

After a couple of Cuban Sandwiches (sliced roast pork, sliced turkey, cheese, tomatoes and dill pickles), and some directions, we took off for the viewpoint.

From our vantage point high above the lake, we were able to see the entire length of Lake Canandaigua. What a sight!

Leaving the town of Naples, New York, at the southern end of Canandaigua Lake, we headed northeast across rolling farmland. Miles and miles of corn and soybeans dotted with quaint Amish houses and huge factory farms. Reminds me of Iowa!

After passing by the north end of Lake Keuka, we drove through the towns of Penn Yan and Dresden, and found NY 14 North along Seneca Lake. In Geneva, at the north end of the lake, a park provided a super view of the lake.

Downtown Geneva is a collection of turn of the city buildings. Fascinating!