LEWIS COUNTY
County Offices
7660 North State Street
Lowville 315-377-2000
www.lewiscounty.org
Chamber of Commerce
7576 South State Street
Lowville 315-376-2213
www.lewiscountychamber.org
With nearly 20 percent of the land devoted to agricultural activity, Lewis County is one of only two counties actually categorized as “rural” by New York State. Among other crops and products, the area accounts for 13 percent of the maple syrup produced in New York—nearly 29,000 gallons. The county takes pride in its long-standing farming traditions, emphasizing its rural status by claiming that Lewis County has more cows than people. Lowville serves as the commercial, healthcare, and governmental hub of the county although the City of Watertown is approximately 45 minutes away for expanded services, amenities, a community college campus, and Watertown International Airport.
Services
First-rate healthcare can be accessed locally in Lewis County at Lewis County General Hospital & Residential Healthcare Facility in Lowville, with a staff of more than 100 skilled professionals. For more than 80 years, the hospital has been true to its slogan, “We treat you like family,” providing a level of medical care associated with larger cities. Four off-site health centers reach in the heart of area communities in Beaver Falls, Copenhagen, Harrisville, and Lyons Falls. Services at Lewis County General include primary acute-care, ambulatory services, diagnostics, rehabilitation, short and long-term care, residential care, certified home health, women’s health, and hospice. The full-service Emergency Department handles more than 10,000 patients each year. Neighboring Jefferson County provides the 294-bed Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown and Carthage Area Hospital in Carthage, a 25-bed rural community hospital with a Critical Access designation serving patients in Jefferson and northern Lewis counties. Regionally, Syracuse is home to the nationally ranked Upstate Medical University, the Upstate University Hospital Community Campus, and the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital as well as Crouse Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, and the Syracuse Veterans Administration Hospital.
Residents of all ages have access to quality educational programs and facilities in Lewis County, beginning with respected public school districts. Post-secondary education can begin close to home in Watertown at Jefferson Community College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. JCC provides a wide range of associate degrees and certificates and transfer degrees as well as online programs in a residential college atmosphere. Bachelor and advanced can also be earned through the Jefferson Higher Education Center’s partners within the SUNY North County Consortium. The private Paul Smith’s College located in Adirondack Park emphasizes experiential learning, while SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is singularly focused on environmental discovery, learning, and sustainability. The City of Syracuse is home to highly acclaimed Syracuse University, LeMoyne College of Jesuit tradition, and SUNY’s Upstate Medical University. Cazenovia College, Clarkson University, Colgate University, Cornell University, Ithaca College, Hamilton College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and several others are located within a three-hour drive.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Lewis County will discover a unique geography that contrasts the snow-clad Tug Hill Plateau with the fertile farmland nestled in the Black River Valley. To the west lie the picturesque Adirondack Mountains, with Adirondack Park alone featuring 3,000 lakes and ponds and 10,000 miles of rivers and streams. Waterways are vast and wild for canoeing and kayaking while miles of trails encourage exploration including New York’s only permitted ATV trail system. In a county with 600 miles of snowmobiling trails, alpine and cross-country ski centers draw regional crowds to centers like Maple Ridge Snow Park boasting northern New York’s largest snow tubing hill or Snow Ridge in Turin—a major skiing and snowboarding park with 7 lifts, 22 slopes and trails, a professional ski school, and full amenities. Hiking, camping, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, cycling, birdwatching, whitewater rafting, and every imaginable outdoor activity including wind-driven “kite skiing” can be enjoyed against a backdrop of natural beauty. Whetstone Gulf State Park features a scenic campground and recreation area along with a 500-acre reservoir above the gorge for fishing and water sports.
The countryside is waiting to be explored and savored at unique venues like the Lowville Producers Cheese Store, the Maple Ridge Wind Farm, and Tug Hill Vineyards on Route 12. September brings the Cream Cheese Festival and the largest cheese cake in the world while competitive events like Race with the Wind bicycle race and RiverFest keep visitors returning year after year. Historic treasures include the 1800s Constable Hall, said to be the inspiration for the story “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Displays and artifacts depicting the life of a farmer in the 1800s is the focus of the Adirondack Mennonite Heritage Farm. Other outstanding venues include the American Maple Museum, the railroad museum at the Lowville and Beaver River Depot in Croghan, and the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame and Museum in Osceola. Along with the county’s undeniable charm, newcomers will appreciate a healthy lifestyle, abundant fresh food, friendly small communities, rural landscapes, attractive and affordable housing, and good schools. For the best of rural living, Lewis County stands in a class of its own.
COMMUNITIES
Denmark Town, Castorland Village, Copenhagen Village
Town Hall
315-493-3846
http://townofdenmarkny.org
Castorland Village Hall
315-376-3895
http://villageofcastorlandny.org
Copenhagen Village Hall
315-688-4229
www.villageofcopenhagen.org
Chamber of Commerce
315-376-2213
www.lewiscountychamber.org
Denmark Town is situated along the northwestern border of the county just 20 minutes from Watertown City, Jefferson County’s vibrant urban center. Watertown provides a regional hospital, Jefferson County Community College, Thompson Park attractions including a zoo, cultural enrichment, first-rate shopping, professional services, and lively entertainment centers. The rolling Black River forms the eastern boundary of Denmark with its tributary Deer River running through the northern section of town. This water-rich area offers an idyllic natural background for rural living in close proximity to Watertown’s expanded amenities. Two quaint villages offer an intimate community atmosphere, with Castorland nestled against the Black River and Copenhagen situated in the Deer River area along New York Route 12. Breathtaking waterfalls grace the Copenhagen area along the waterfront.
Lowville Town/Village
Village Hall
315-376-2834
http://villageoflowville.org
Town Hall
315-376-8070
www.lowville.ny.us
Chamber of Commerce
315-376-2213
www.lewiscountychamber.org
Cradled in the picturesque and fertile Black River Valley, the town and village of Lowville nestles in the very heart of Lewis County. Serving as the seat of county government, Lowville is also a hub of business, commerce, and healthcare. Historic treasures in this area include the Franklin B. Hough House, the Bateman Hotel, the Lewis County Fairgrounds, the Lewis County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, and the Lowville Presbyterian Church. Lowville supports the region’s agricultural activity with thriving businesses focused on cheese making, distribution, paper and wood product processing, and manufacturing. Veterans Memorial Park with its Village Bandstand offers a community gathering place for live entertainment. The expansive Lewis County Fairgrounds hosts the famous Cream Cheese Festival, the county fair, a farmer’s market, sports events, horse auctions, and winter ice-skating. Whetstone Gulf State Park is just outside the village for camping, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and cross country skiing.
Croghan Village, Croghan Town, New Bremen Town
Croghan Village Hall
315-346-1979
http://croghanny.org
Croghan Town Hall
315-346-1212
www.townofcroghan.com
New Bremen Town Hall
315-376-2641
http://townofnewbremen.weebly.com
Chamber of Commerce
315-376-2213
www.lewiscountychamber.org
The rural towns of Croghan and New Bremen share sections of the charming Village of Croghan in a scenic area between the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and the Adirondack Mountains. Popular shops and stores serve local residents but also welcome throngs of visitors to unique destinations like Good Ol’ Wishy’s soda fountain, the Croghan Meat Market, and the Croghan Candy Kitchen. Historic features abound including Croghan Dam and its mill. Crystal Creek, formed by the dam, is a great place for fishing—particularly for Brown Trout. The focal point of local recreational activity is Croghan Recreation Park with a public swimming pool, softball park, tennis courts, volleyball courts, playground, and picnic facilities. Regional attractions close to home include the American Maple Museum and Hall of Fame, the Oswegatchie Educational Center, and the Railway Historical Society of Northern New York Museum.
Rural Lewis County
Chamber of Commerce
315-376-2213
www.lewiscountychamber.org
Those who are looking for true country living and easy access to rugged outdoor adventures will want to explore Lewis County’s sparsely populated towns of Diana, Greig, Harrisburg, Lewis, Leyden, Lyonsdale, Martinsburg, Montague, Osceola, Pinckney, Turin, Watson, West Turin Town. With more than 200 inches of annual snowfall, the Tug Hill region is a winter-sport paradise like no other. Along with every traditional winter sport imaginable including dog sledding, this area offers the innovative sport of snow kiting—being pulled by a kite driven by wind power. Snow Ridge in Turin Town offers a full-service ski and snowboard resort, while miles of pristine trails are available for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and ATV adventures. Turin also features Whetstone State Park, built into and around a gorge cut into the Tug Hill Plateau to offer the most spectacular scenery east of the Rocky Mountains. Category 4 and 5 whitewater rafting is available on Beaver and Moose rivers. Those who prefer quiet rides through breathtaking scenery will discover out-of-the-way restaurants, treasures like the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame and Museum in Osceola, and unique agribusinesses. The urban center of Watertown is available to the west for expanded entertainment, shopping, and cultural attractions.
