Out and About with Tom and Huck - Rambling Around with the Irwins         by Alice Irwin

Back in Time at Skaleateles, Part 2                                                      Return to Tom & Huck Page

September 20th,  2001 Edition of the Sun and Record

NYS Gazetteer Pages 60, 61, 74

The village streets of Skaneateles were refreshingly quiet on Sunday morning.   We took a last look at the antique boats and stopped at The Patisserie (“Artisan Breads & Fine Pastries”) to pick up some treats to take home.  I had whiled away some time on the front porch of the Arbor House looking through one of their books: People, Places, and Things in the Finger Lakes Region and discovered a couple of places that warranted investigation before heading home.  Starting south on West Lake Road (route 41A) we came upon two restored homes that we voted best in town.   The first was a peach colored Victorian with the most intricate gingerbread work that you can imagine.   The home next door displayed a stunning entryway adorned with fabulously ornate white wrought iron.   They were breathtaking; it took my breath away to think about keeping all of the gingerbread and wrought iron painted! 

 Our destinations were Carpenter Falls and the Bear Swamp Recreation Area.  We turned east on Glen Haven Road at New Hope Mills.  Yes...it’s the same New Hope Mills where they produce the good pancake flour!  Unfortunately, they weren’t open on Sunday.  It would have been fun to tour the mill and museum and see how they’ve used Bear Swamp Creek to power the mill.   A good excuse for a return trip!  Continuing up the hill, our first right was Bear Swamp Road, marked as “Seasonal Use” …that’s always a clue that we’re heading into a neat place.    The dirt and gravel road was just about one lane wide and took us down into a dense forest alternating between hardwoods and evergreens.  We began to notice NYS trail markers and fairly well defined trails winding off into the forest; some looked very do-able on the bicycles.  2^nd and slow 3^rd gear took us through the forest for about 5 miles, with both private and state lands along each side.  Just before we turned back toward the main highway on Iowa Road, there was a large parking lot cut into the woods and two families were unloading and preparing their horses for a ride.  It looks like a great area for hiking, biking, X-C skiing, and riding.  There was a NYS sign back out on Route 41A indicating that this was the Bear Swamp Recreation Area, but no details on where the trailheads were.  We plan to contact the DEC and get additional information, which we’ll be happy to pass along.  We never did find Carpenter Falls; we’ll need to ask some local folks for directions, as there weren’t any obvious signs along the highway. 

 There’s a town park at the southern end of the lake at Glen Haven, with a small-boat launch for residents (and a clean porta-potty!) and another boat launch a short distance down the road at Fair Haven.  There’s also an intriguing-looking restaurant with a big porch for outdoor dining.  Route 41 took us northward back into Skaneateles, once again high above the lake…its blue water reminiscent of Maxfield Parrish’s color palette.

 Back in town, we started north on Jordan Road and picked up Crow Hill Road where we found the Tea and Treasures General Store in Mottville. The proprietor was a genuinely warm, friendly gal and had stocked her store with one of the best selection of gifts and crafts that we’ve come across, including a big selection teas and jams.  A local artisan supplies hand-turned wooden bowls and boxes made from spalted Maple and other burls, and intricately glued up hardwood mixes.  As amateur woodworkers we can really appreciate the talent and effort that goes into creating pieces like these.   I suppressed my urge to purchase everything in the store, and decided upon a small wooden lamb to add to my collection.

 Next stop was at the TC Timber/Habermaass wooden toy company.   As the founder, Marshal Larabee, recovered from a long bout with tuberculosis he began to carve wooden toys for his children and neighborhood kids.  They were so popular that he packaged some and traveled to Chicago to meet with a buyer for the Marshall Field Company; in 1936 the Skaneateles Handicrafters was born. The business was a huge success and in 1980 Klaus Habermaas of Germany was looking for a way to diversify his family’s wooden toy business in the US.  The match between Skaneateles Handicrafters and Habermaass proved to be ideal, and with their combined skills and experience they continue to provide unique, high quality toys.  At the age of 90, Mr. Larabee continues to ensure that the rules of good quality, durability, and play value are still followed.  They have a retail store at the factory…except it was another place that’s not open on Sunday.   It’s on our list of fun places to return to.

 As I navigated our way north, Ethan kept inquiring, “Where ARE we going?”.  I just kept up with “right on Gorham Road, right on Kingston Road then a quick left on Mead Road, another quick right on Campbell Road”.  Then we saw the sign: “Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery”.  Found it!   We drove into a combination of an Onandaga County Park and DEC hatchery.  The hatchery is devoted to Brown, Rainbow, and Brook Trout and there had to be hundreds of thousands of them (NOT a fish story!).  As the fish grow, they progress through a series of concrete holding tanks.   Little fish, bigger fish, BIG fish.  One tank was home to what looked like the fish they would use for breeding.  They were muscular, sleek, and healthy. With the sun sparkling on their rose-pink and green bodies the Rainbow Trout were indeed living “rainbows”.  I had never seen the delicately spotted “Brookie” live and in person; what special little creatures! There were a number of families touring the facility, and the kids were having a great time tossing some food in for the fish.  We always enjoy seeing people sharing the outdoors with their kids, and this is another good destination for a family outing.  Pack a picnic and go enjoy!  If you want to go to the hatchery “the short way”, just take route 5 east from Elbridge, NY (just southwest of Baldwinsville) and then turn south on Route 321 at Bennetts Corners.  It’s only a couple of miles down the road.

 Next time…Returning to Northern NY’s Lakes!