The Seaway Trail Discovery Center is a museum located in Sackets Harbor, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 that offers a wide range of exhibits about the culture and heritage of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail

Seaway Trail

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail, formerly named and commonly known as the Seaway Trail, is a National Scenic Byway in the northeastern United States, mostly contained in New York but with a small segment in Pennsylvania...

 and surrounding regions. The Seaway Trail is a 504 miles (811 km) National Scenic Byway

National Scenic Byway

A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, mostly in New York but with a small segment in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

.

The museum is located in the historic Union Hotel

Union Hotel (Sackets Harbor, New York)

Union Hotel, also known as Barrow's Hotel, is a historic hotel located at Sackets Harbor in Jefferson County, New York. It is a -story stone building, 51 feet by 69 feet, over a full basement. The original structure was built in 1817–1818. The interior features distinctive Federal woodwork. It...

 and was opened in July 2000 by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Preservation to provide visitors with an overview of the Seaway Trail, the State's only scenic byway. It includes exhibits on the history

History

History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...

, architecture

Architecture

Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

 and natural resources

Natural Resources

Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...

 of St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Oswego, Cayuga, Wayne

Wayne County, New York

Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...

, Monroe

Monroe County, New York

Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....

, Orleans

Orleans County, New York

As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...

, Niagara, Erie

Erie County, New York

Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...

 and Chautauqua

Chautauqua County, New York

-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...

 counties, those that surround the Great Lakes

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...

. The Center's exhibits also focused on the region's 27 historic lighthouses, local battles during the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

, and famous residents including: Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony

Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...

, Frederic Remington

Frederic Remington

Frederic Sackrider Remington was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in depictions of the Old American West, specifically concentrating on the last quarter of the 19th century American West and images of cowboys, American Indians, and the U. S...

 and George Eastman

George Eastman

George Eastman was an American innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and invented roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream...

.

In addition to historical exhibits, the Center also features exhibits and lectures with content that applies to the daily lives and residents of the region. Federal funding allows the center to contribute to and help develop the counties it serves. The Center is one of the few attractions in the North Country

North Country, New York

The North Country is a region of the U.S. state of New York that encompasses the state's extreme northern frontier, bordering Lake Ontario on the west, the Saint Lawrence River and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec on the north and northwest, and Lake Champlain and Vermont on the east...

 that is open year-round and believe that doing so helps extend the tourism season in the region. As of 2004, the Center received more than 20,000 visitors each year. Its work is believed to contribute to providing visitors with a greater understanding of how its agricultural heritage shaped the region and allow residents to understand how heritage tourism

Heritage tourism

Cultural heritage tourism is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring...

can help develop and grow the region.

External links

• Seaway Trail Discovery Center