Hop a Coaster, Fish and Dine All at Sylvan Beach
By Deborah Williams
It could be a movie set: a perfect milelong white sand beach, breathtaking sunsets, a fish filled lake, an old-fashioned amusement park, lakeside dining establishments, a 121-year-old beachfront chapel and the bustling Erie Canal.
In fact, Sylvan Beach on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake in the middle of New York State was a movie set back in 1968.
A budding young actress strolled along the beach, danced in the water and sat in front of a campfire in the sand behind the Sylvan Beach Union Chapel. She kissed her co-star in the pews of the historic church and spent time at Oudin’s Court (now Sunset Cottages).
The actress was Liza Minnelli and the film, released a year later, was “The Sterile Cuckoo.” Local children took a week off from school to watch the filming. The film made Minnelli a star.
Film director Alan J. Pakula explained to critic Roger Ebert why he choose the resort town for shooting: “This tourist camp is better than any set,” Pakula said. “Look at this place. We found this whole world here, waiting for a movie to be shot in it.”
Leslie Stewart remembers serving Minnelli a tuna fish sandwich.
“I don’t know why but I always remember that,” she said with a laugh.
Her husband’s family has been catering to visitors and locals at Eddie’s Restaurant since 1934. The family also operates another restaurant, Harpoon Eddie’s on the beach and Sunset Cottages.
Just down the beach from Sunset Cottages is the Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, with 21 rides including the Galaxi, Central New York’s largest roller coaster. Admission is free and it’s fun to just walk over and enjoy a few rides. Crystal Beach Park fans will feel at home here — the lake, the beach and the atmosphere conjure up images of the long-closed Canadian park.
The amusement park is just steps from the Erie Canal. Stop at the Canal View Cafe on the canal for good food, great views and a walk through Sylvan Beach history. The walls are filled with beach memorabilia. There are framed photos and cards, beach souvenirs, old menus, signs from years gone by as well as china decorated with the names of Oneida Lake communities.
The original canal, built from 1817 to 1825, bypassed Oneida Lake. However, the lake was linked to the canal by the Oneida River and through two Oneida Lake Canals.
The Erie Barge Canal, today’s canal, was completed around 1916 and used Oneida Lake as a part of its course, and the lake became an important cog in the state’s water transportation network. Now the canal was able to accommodate ships large enough to sail on the open seas.
Hundreds of tugs and barges used the lake during the canal’s peak years, and Sylvan Beach became an active canal port. Although the canal is no longer used for cargo, Sylvan Beach remains a popular port. It has it all — the lake and beach, a multitude of restaurants, and a casual, relaxed atmosphere where most everything is within easy walking distance.
During the summer, classic car fans and motorcyclists flock to the beach for their weekly events — classic car fans come for the Thursday Night Classic Car Cruise and bikers come on Tuesdays for Bikes at the Beach. Both nights feature music, food and vendors.
Measuring approximately 22 miles long by 1 to 5 miles wide, Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York State borders. During the summer, bass and perch are quite active.
Oneida has been dubbed “the Walleye Lake of New York State.” Spring and fall are usually the best times for walleye fishing and it is not uncommon for anglers to catch their limit during these times.
Fish Creek empties into Oneida Lake at Sylvan Beach and serves as the spawning stream for walleye. Anglers are often found trolling, in their waders or fishing off the pier just before sunrise and at sunset hoping to catch their dinner. One of the best places to catch walleye is at the canal’s entry to the lake at Sylvan Beach.
Just two miles from Sylvan Beach is Verona Beach State Park with camping, beaches and more fishing. Verona Beach is also home to a lighthouse with a Buffalo connection. In 1915 a Buffalo company built the three identical Oneida Lake lighthouses.
Each lighthouse is reminiscent of a towering candlestick that is 80 feet high and set upon a square base. The lanterns are made of bronze and all sheet metal is spun copper. The upper platform is ringed by a wrought iron latticed railing and is reached by climbing five stairways within the tower.
Just outside Sylvan Beach is McConnellsville, home to the world famous Harden Furniture Co., the nation’s oldest family-owned and operated furniture manufacturer.
Charles Harden Sr. crafted the first Harden chairs in 1844 at his sawmill on Fish Creek in McConnellsville. Today, Greg Harden is the fifth generation of Hardens to run the company. The show room is open daily and factory tours are held on Wednesday at 10 am. Visitors can see beautiful furniture created from logs.
Twelve miles east of Sylvan Beach is the Erie Canal Village. It is a reconstructed 19th century settlement on the site where the first shovelful of earth was turned for the construction of the original Erie Canal on July 4, 1817. Visitors can stand on the very spot where the course of American and world history was changed forever.
Water is no longer in the original canal. Today it resembles a ditch but the second canal is filled with water and visitors are invited to ride on a mule-drawn packet boat.
If you’re lucky you might get Sal, a resident mule, to pull your boat. There’s also a narrow gauge train that travels around the property as well as a 35-mile multiuse trail, blacksmith demonstrations, an authentic 1850s tavern and a gift shop filled with canal books, music and other souvenirs.
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If you go
*Oneida County Convention & Visitors Bureau: (800) 426-3132, www.oneidacountycvb.com.
*Sylvan Beach: (315) 762-5212, www.sylvanbeach.org.
Sunset Cottages: (315) 762-4093 from April 15 to Oct. 15 or (561) 746-4902 the rest of the year. Visit www.sylvanbeach.com.
Erie Canal Village, 5789 New London Road (Routes 46 and 49) in Rome; (888) ERIECAN, www.eriecanalvillage.net. Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Harden Furniture Company, 8550 Mill Pond Way, McConnellsville; (315) 245-1000, www.harden.com. The showroom is open 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Factory tours are held Wednesdays throughout the year except for the first two Wednesdays in July.
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Directions
Take the New York Thruway east to Exit 34.
Go north on Route 13 for seven miles to Sylvan Beach.
(c) 2007 Buffalo News. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.