Road Trip to Cooperstown & Herkimer
Memorial Day 2020 was a great time to continue day trip explorations of New York State. There were certainly people out enjoying the wonderful weather, but they all practiced social distancing and wore masks. New Yorkers know when to take things seriously!
Glimmerglass State Park with Hyde Hall in the distance
Otsego Lake, in Otsego County, is one of the most beautiful lakes in New York State. Looking south from Glimmerglass State Park provides a fine view of Hyde Hall perched on the hills above the lake. Hyde Hall is a National Historic Landmark and a New York State Historic Site. There is a wonderful organization named Hyde Hall, Inc. that has a lease on the property and has completed some truly stunning restoration work. It is worth a visit.
Tucked just inside the entrance of Glimmerglass State Park, eight miles from the Village of Cooperstown, is the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge. Built in 1825 as part of the construction of Hyde Hall, this 53-foot bridge still stands in its original location. It is considered the oldest extant wooden covered bridge in the United States and one of only three using the Burr arch truss design. Located in a pleasant corner of the park it provides a welcoming location for quiet picnics and walks. By the way, the name “Glimmerglass” comes from the stories of James Fenimore Cooper, author of the Leatherstocking Tales, and namesake for the Village of Cooperstown.
Hyde Hall Covered Bridge
Inside the bridge, showing the Burr arch truss design
From the Village of Cooperstown, you can take Route 28 north to the Mohawk Valley. Route 28 is in the shape of a “c” and runs from Kingston in the Hudson Valley, all the way to Warrensburg in Warren County. Along the route you pass by Canadarago Lake with the Village of Richfield Springs situated at its northern end and eventually to Herkimer, where you can explore the Fort Herkimer Church and cemetery.
Fort Herkimer Church
Closeup of a loophole
Steeple and statue
Built of local limestone in 1753 by early Palatine settlers, the original Fort Herkimer Church was single-story in height. The second story was added around 1767. The delineation of the two phases is still clearly seen in the stonework. There was great upheaval in the area at the time and the church building was a refuge from raiders during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. It still retains loopholes for defensive purposes and was once part of a larger fortified complex that included Fort Herkimer.
Now the church sits right along the Empire State Trail and the site includes parking for the trail along with a spacious pavilion and trail bridge.