 Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz
 Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz
CHERRY VALLEY
The overland route westward from Albany which crests the divide between the Mohawk and Susquehanna valleys was an invitation to settlers. George Croghan, Indian agent and western land speculator from Pennsylvania, in 1768 staked out a large tract near Otsego Lake. During the Revolution the frontier settlements suffered from British, Tory and Indian raids from Canada. The most famous was the Cherry Valley massacre of November 11, 1779, the troops of General Clinton were floated down the Susquehanna from Otsego lake to join General John Sullivan's men at Tioga. The Sullivan-Clinton Expedition devastated Indian lands and secured the frontier.
Renewal of settlements came after the Revolution when Judith Williams Cooper founded Cooperstown. The Cherry Valley Turnpike chartered in 1799 opened the stage coach era, encouraged westward migration and the rise of small communities along the route.
Remaining largely rural and agricultural the region has become famous as the setting for the romantic tales of James Fenimore Cooper. Resorts and tourist attractions have flourished and Cooperstown, is well known for its historical and folk museums and its baseball Hall of Fame.
Education Department, N.T.S. Thruway Authority, and State of New York, 1982
US-20, roadside park, W. of Leesville, Otsego County New York
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