Natural wonders and history combine to make Schoharie County unique

"They were farmers and inn-keepers," he said, "and they were wealthy and powerful. They knew a lot of famous people at the time, like Washington Irving and Buffalo Bill Cody."

I loved hearing those stories, but I didn't put much stock in them till about seven years ago when I received a letter from an author doing a history of that area. He had done an extensive amount of research and had worked on a genealogy of my family. The stories my dad used to tell me seemed to have some truth in them. According to the author, there was still a famous Richtmyer Tavern in Conesville, at the southern tip of Schoharie County.

Roots in Schoharie

Recently, my wife Judy and I returned to visit some places we had never been to and re-visit some of our favorite destinations.

Schoharie County seems virtually unchanged in 200 years. Driving through the Schoharie Valley, it's easy to see why it was once the breadbasket for the American Revolution.

It is a county that has some fascinating natural wonders (such as Howe Caverns), many exciting historical sites, quaint shopping venues and a technological wonder: the New York Power Authority's Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project.

Fresh county

You can't visit Schoharie County and not sample the fresh produce. It's what put the county on the map hundreds of years ago.

Now that we had our tasty and healthy snack, we ventured south on Route 30 less than a mile and stopped at the Old Stone Fort, built in 1772 as a High Dutch Reformed Church. It was fortified and attacked during the American Revolution in 1780, and is now a century-old museum run by the Schoharie County Historical Society. At the museum, you can find muskets, cannons, swords, letters and personal effects, and even a British cannonball removed from the roof.

Back in time

We spent some time looking at the many gravestones scattered throughout the property. It was a complex I've visited on earlier occasions, and it has always made me feel solemn and serene.

Before leaving Schoharie, Judy and I stopped at the George Mann Tory Tavern, known today as one of the area's finest restaurants. Now restored, it was once the home of Capt. George Mann of the "Schohary" Militia, who declared himself a friend of King George.

With his defection in 1777, Mann and some of his followers shut off travel and communication in the northern half of the county for about one month until order was restored when reinforcements were sent in and many of the Loyalists were captured at Mann's Tavern. Mann soon after went into hiding.

Beauty in nature

We drove past the Max V. Shaul State Park, where you can hike, picnic and camp. I've heard that Looking Glass Pond, with its freshly stocked bass, is a favorite spot to fish.

Our next stop was the Blenheim Covered Bridge, located in North Blenheim on Route 30. At 226 feet, it is the longest single-span covered bridge in the United States.

Dam powerful

What I like is that it generates clean, reliable electricity by recycling water between two reservoirs, one atop a mountain and the other at its base. Blenheim-Gilboa's electricity is available almost immediately for peak-demand or emergency use. I also like how the facility blends into the natural setting, so that much of the powerhouse is hidden from view.

Judy and I wandered through the free visitor's center, which is housed in a renovated 19th-century dairy barn. It was a very hands-on sort of place, with many displays and videos explaining the basics of electricity and how it is produced.

House of history

Judy and I explored the ten rooms on two floors. We also visited the underground kitchen, and saw the dining room and the wine cellar. The furnishings were mostly Victorian, and there were also many clothing displays. It always amazes me whenever I tour an older home how much detail and workmanship goes into the construction of the homes.

It was getting near lunch time, and I had hoped to eat in Sharon Springs, more than 30 miles away. But we were so close to Conesville and the Richtmyer Tavern. "Let's just do a quick stop at the tavern," I said to Judy.

Timeless

According to the book, "They Walked These Hills," by Beatrice Mattice, Peter Richtmyer opened the tavern in 1784, the first inn in this part of the county. The present building, erected in 1789, has had many changes additions and renovations.

The somewhat dilapidated building appears to be vacant and in need of a lot of work. We walked up to the porch and looked in through the windows.

"I'd love to get inside and see this building," I said. It was sad to see broken-down furniture and empty paint cans throughout the house. I hope that one day the tavern can be restored to its earlier majesty.

Sharon Springs

Sharon Springs is one of the six original towns to form Schoharie County in 1797. Native Americans were lured here even before the Europeans because of the healing qualities of the sulphur, magnesia and chalybeate springs.

BY 1841, the village had become world-famous through the social elite who came to "take the waters." Magnificent hotels were built and forest-like parks created. During the second half of the 19th century, Sharon Springs was home to more than 60 hotels and rooming houses, accommodating 10,000-plus visitors.

It appears to be a place on the rebound. Judy and I had a splendid and affordable lunch at the American Hotel, which is open year-round. The hotel, built between 1847 and 1851, has nine double guest rooms with private baths that begin at $120 a night. We were given a tour and found the rooms elegantly decorated and spotlessly clean.

After lunch, we walked down Main Street past a trendy-looking pizza parlor and the restored Roseboro, which is another gem from the town's golden age. The Roseboro has a dining room offering breakfast, lunch and dinner; every Sunday, they have a jazz brunch.

Further down the street, we passed the Sharon Springs Imperial Sulphur Spa, which first opened in 1927. The baths have been in continuous operation since. There are other bath facilities in The Adler Hotel, located at the end of the street.

Past the caverns

From Sharon Springs, we took Route 20 east to Esperance. Route 20, once known as the Great Western Turnpike, linked the wilderness with trade centers on the Hudson River and the seacoast. Driving it today, you can see old reminders of carriage roads from years ago, as well as remnants of truck stops, cabins and diners long gone.

On the way to Esperance, we passed Route 145, which could take us to two of Schoharie's most famous destinations: Howe Caverns and Secret Caverns, both in Cobleskill. Just about every elementary school in the Capital District has incorporated a trip to one or both of these places. Secret Caverns is a bit more rustic than the more popular Howe Caverns, but children and adults will also find it enjoyable.

If we had had more time, the tourist spot I really wanted to visit was the Iroquois Indian Museum, located only one mile from Howe Caverns. They have many hands-on displays, along with Native American art (call 296-8949).

Living museum

Judy and I strolled along the Fred Lape trail, which took us through groves of oaks, crabapples, azaleas, beeches and -- my favorite -- dawn redwoods, the second-oldest species of tree known.

As Judy and I drove away from Schoharie County, we felt very fortunate to live so close to an area steeped in such dramatic history and with so many unspoiled natural treasures.

"I can see why the British wanted to own this valley," I said to my wife, "and why my ancestors wanted to settle there."

(Schoharie County contains the following parishes, all in the 518 area code: St. Vincent de Paul, Cobleskill, 234-2892; St. Catherine, Middleburgh, 827-5132; St. Joseph, Schoharie, 295-8923; and St. Anna, Summit, 287-1553.)

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