Back on April 18, Gov. Kathy Hochul marked the centennial of the establishment of the State Council of Parks.
Probably not many took note of it, since it was still cool across our region. But with the recent heat wave, plenty are making their way toward our state parks across Otsego County for relief from the heat, or to just enjoy a picnic, or hike trails. Now is a good time to take note.
Not a lot happened after the council was formed, but that changed in November 1924. Voters could say yes or no to Proposition 1, which bonded not to exceed $15-million to improve already existing parks and establish new ones. The grandfather of state parks in New York was, not surprisingly, Niagara Falls.
Voters approved the bond, but once again not much happened in Otsego County. The Oneonta Star reported in the Dec. 6, 1924 edition that “no part of the county of Otsego is in the present forest preserve, but there is at least hope that future developments will bring within the scope of the state parks, some portion of the shores of Otsego and Canadarago lakes.”
An unlikely candidate came into play, as what was then known as Gilbert’s Lake in Laurens. This area had been clear cut for timber around the turn of the 20th century. Before this, there had been several mills in the area, and the water of the lake was used for power.
The Council of Parks acquired this area was from the estate of W.H. Widger in 1926, largely through the influence of the Hon. Charles Smith of Oneonta, a member of the council.
The new Gilbert Lake State Park opened in 1929. On July 21, the park had a crowd of more than 2,500 people with a count of 456 cars through the gate, so it was easy to say that the new park was an instant hit with area residents.
The Great Depression started later that year, so further funding was cut for several years. During the depths of the Depression, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was established on site in 1933. The park got a major boost on improving its features, with roads, hiking trails and cabins.
Gilbert Lake was the only state park in Otsego County until 1956. As The Star reported on Sept. 19, “the ancestral 1,200-acre estate of the Hyde-Clarke family, pioneers in the life of Otsego County, has been marked for sale under the direction of surviving members of the family.”
The asking price wasn’t published, but one could guess that those of average means couldn’t afford it.
However, the State Council of Parks entered the picture of acquiring the estate, not only to preserve what is today’s Hyde Hall, but to establish a state park on the shore of Otsego Lake. The state took over the land in 1963. Glimmerglass State Park opened full time in 1968.
Acts of generosity has doubled the number of state parks in Otsego County in the 21st century.
According to the Star of Aug. 6, 2001, “in a ceremony … witnessed by about 120 people, Gov. George E. Pataki announced the establishment of the state’s newest park on a 150-acre site” in Westford. “The hilltop property was named for the couple who donated the land, Betty and Wilbur Davis.”
The Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park was officially opened on Friday, June 16, 2006, attended by many, and it was Wilbur Davis’ 95th birthday.
About this same time, the acts of generosity continued. In 2005, the Robert V. Riddell State Park began as a gift to the state by Patricia Riddell Kent and husband Steven Kent, a 1,036-acre tract near Interstate 88, straddling the Otsego and Delaware County line. The family’s ownership of the property dates back to 1871.
The park was expanded in 2008 when Hartwick College sold 840 acres of its Pine Lake Environmental Campus to the state. The park is primarily used for passive recreation such as hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and fishing in Schenevus Creek.
Whether it’s here in Otsego County or elsewhere across the state, what is now the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation office invites you to get out to enjoy the outdoors and discover the parks, through the Centennial Challenge, a list of 100 activities to participate in. For details, visit parks.ny.gov/100/challenge.