This Is Cooperstown
I recently enjoyed gently rocking in a chair on a wide veranda overlooking a magnificent lake vista in New York State. My stay at The Otesaga, a luxurious historic resort hotel perched at the edge of Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, was part of my immersion in the destination. The property, whose name comes from the Iroquois word for “place of meetings,” transports visitors back to a time of elegance and gracious hospitality.
Relaxing on the veranda of The Otesaga. Photograph: The Otesaga Resort Hotel
The expansive porch, and guest rooms that feature ceiling chandeliers and oversized windows which provide stunning views of the lake, are among many details that combine the ultimate of comfort with opulence. Adding to the mix are a golf course which hugs the lake and is rated among the best on the East Coast, a heated swimming pool, tennis and pickleball courts, and restaurants which serve four-star meals.
The Otesaga overlooks Otsego Lake. Photograph: The Otesaga Resort Hotel
While I could have happily spent my days relaxing at The Otesaga, the wide variety of things to see and do in town drew me away. Many people go to Cooperstown to see the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, a virtual Mecca for fans of the sport which is known as “America’s Pastime.” It portrays the popular game through a combination of memorabilia and exhibits that provide both entertainment and education. When I asked a guide how much time most visitors spend there, he replied “From two hours to two weeks.”
Among other attractions related to that game are the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum; Cooperstown Bat Company, where visitors see how professional models are made; and shops which offer a wide selection of baseball-related apparel, players cards and other collectibles. In fact, it’s not easy to escape references to the sport for which the town is most famous.
For example, strolling into the Doubleday Café I encountered walls plastered with baseball paraphernalia and photos, including one myth-spreading picture titled “Abner Doubleday – Father of Dreams.”
Fact check: References to a game resembling baseball date back to rounders and cricket, which were popular in England during the 18th-century. By the time of the American Revolution, variations of them that were popular among colonists evolved into today’s iconic sport.
It didn’t take long for me to learn that Cooperstown’s appeal extends well beyond the game, and to understand why it has been referred to as “America’s most perfect village.”
The setting itself is a magnet for those seeking breathtaking scenery of rolling farm fields tucked among pockets of dense forest amid tranquil lakes overlooked by low lying mountains. Against this backdrop, the town could be the movie set of a quintessential village.
Downtown Cooperstown is the quintessential American village. Photograph: This is Cooperstown
Walkable streets lead to the spectacular lakefront, and leafy parks lend welcome touches of Mother Nature. Adding to the storybook décor is an architectural mixture of colonial buildings and gingerbread Victorian homes, many of them painted in a palette of vibrant eye-catching colors. No wonder that Cooperstown has been referred to as “America’s most perfect village” and included by Travel + Leisure magazine on lists of best places to visit and best road trips from New York City.
The town was founded in 1786 by William Cooper, who was the father of the renowned author James Fenimore Cooper. The books that James wrote include the Leatherstocking Tales, a series of historical novels set in the frontier period which combine pioneer and Native American lore set against a backdrop of the region’s magnificent scenery.
A centerpiece of that lovely landscape is Otsego Lake, a glacier-created body of water whose name is derived from the Iroquois word meaning “place of the rock.” That refers to a boulder known as Council Rock which once served as a meeting place for Native Americans. It appears as Lake Glimmerglass in Cooper’s books because at times the surface is so still it resembles a mirror.
For such a small village (population about 1,800), Cooperstown offers a wide choice of welcome surprises. The Fenimore Art Museum houses world-class displays of American folk and Indian art, and offers a constant line-up of changing exhibits. Guests of The Otesaga enjoy viewing copies of paintings in their room whose originals are displayed nearby at The Fenimore Art Museum.
The Farmers’ Museum is a living history village which re-creates mid-19th-century rural life. The site has been a working farm since 1813, when it was owned by James Fenimore Cooper. Collections run the gamut from an early 18th-century plow to a broom maker and a 19th century milkfat tester.
A broom maker toiling at The Farmer’s Museum. Photograph: Victor Block
These museums are among a number of enticements which extend the appeal of Cooperstown well beyond its fame as a favored destination for lovers of baseball. From nature at its best to man-made appeals to the town itself, there’s variety enough to find a place on many people’s travel wish list.
To learn more about Cooperstown, log onto thisiscooperstown.com. For The Otesaga resort hotel, which greatly enhances a visit, go to otesaga.com.
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