Schuyler County Fun Facts

Contents

The Finger Lakes region is chock-full of rich history and culture.

In this series I’m sharing with you all the firsts, important historical events, notable individuals, world records, and occasional quirky roadside attractions I come across in my explorations, organized by county.

Here are some fun facts about Schuyler County. For random facts about the other 13 Finger Lakes counties, check here:

Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Livingston, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Yates.

I know I’m only scratching the surface of all the cool things to know, so please tell me interesting facts to add! You can comment below or send me a message.

And make sure you subscribe to the Finger Lakes Family Fun email list or follow on Instagram, where I’ll be sharing my latest discoveries.

Schuyler County Basic Facts

Population: 17,898

County seat: Watkins Glen

Origin of name: Philip Schuyler, general in the American Revolutionary War and a U.S. senator

Tourism site: explorewatkinsglen.com

Burdett

Finger Lakes National Forest

The Finger Lakes National Forest is the only national forest in New York State.

Watkins Glen

Farm Sanctuary

happy pigs in mud — (Photo: Mercy For Animals, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

In 1986, animal activists Gene Baur and Lorri Houston founded the Farm Sanctuary, which advocates for farm animals and was the country’s first shelter for farmed animals. The 300+-acre Watkins Glen sanctuary houses more than 800 animals (chickens, cows, ducks, turkeys, pigs, sheep, goats), while a newer location in Acton, California hosts more than 100 animals. You can visit the Farm Sanctuary in the warmer months.

Race track

Opened in 1956, Watkins Glen International is the only NASCAR track in New York State.

Summer Jam 1973

The race track also hosted the 1973 Summer Jam, which featured The Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead and held a Guinness World Record for “largest audience at a pop festival” (estimated 600,000). Two Phish festivals took place in 2011 and 2015.

Best state park

In 2021, Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Watkins Glen State Park the best state park in New York State. It highlighted the towering cliffs and series of 19 rippling waterfalls that can be seen along the popular 2.4-mile Gorge Trail Loop.

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