My hometown sits along the Erie Canal in Upstate New York. While that waterway is world-famous for its 200-year history, just south of it is a region known as the Finger Lakes. Comprised of eleven long, skinny lakes that run north to south, they got their name from resembling the fingers on a hand. The Finger Lakes are a popular tourist destination for people both near and far, known for the numerous wineries along their banks. However, there’s more to this region than the grapes that grow on the vines.
Patti Unvericht’s book Hidden History of the Finger Lakes documents historical happenings around the region that most might be unaware of. Twenty chapters detail accounts of families, landmarks, events and more, some of which are actually pretty famous. For example, Rod Serling, creator of the popular TV series The Twilight Zone, is a Syracuse native. There’s also Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. There are even some more unusual ones, like a suspect in the famous Jack the Ripper murders in London in the 1800s.
One of my favorite chapters was Chapter 5, detailing the Hamlin Civil Conservation Corps Camp, which provided jobs during the Great Depression and later served as Prisoner of War camp during the Second World War. Having learned about these historical events on a national angle, it was interesting to read about a local connection.
I recommend this book because it shows just how much history a region can have.