Canandaigua Lake

Canandaigua Lake is the fourth largest of the Finger Lakes, in the U.S. state of New York. It is called the "Chosen Spot" in the Seneca language. The city of Canandaigua is located at the northern shore of the lake and the village of Naples is just a few miles south of the southern end. Travelling west to east in the Finger Lakes region, it is the first of the major, or larger Finger Lakes (or coming from east to west, it is the last major Finger Lake).

Canandaigua Lake is 15 1/2 miles (25 km) long, 1 1/2 miles (2.4 km) wide, and has a shore line of about 36 miles (58 km). Near the northern end is Squaw Island. About fifty percent of the surrounding land is in forest, but most of the remainder is under agriculture.

Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park is located in the City of Canandaigua on the north end. It offers a boat launch for powerboats and fishing access from May to mid-October.

Squaw Island is an 11,000 year old island located at the north end of the lake. It is the smallest Fish and Wildlife Management Area in New York State and one of only two islands in the eleven Finger Lakes. The Seneca recall that the island was used to hide the Seneca women and children during the Sullivan Expedition against the Six Nations of the Iroquois in 1779 . The island is one of the few places on earth where an extremely rare form of carbonate of lime forms deposits on pebbles (conglomerate). It is a feathery light rock which is calcified from algae filtered by sand and pond scum. The rock, locally called "water biscuits", is hard in the water but crumbles if allowed to dry out. In recent years the island has been eroding rapidly from the forces of ice, wind, water currents and development changing the wave patterns. In 1977, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation installed a cedar log buffer around the island to help preserve it. Its size was approximately two acres (8,000 m²) in 1853, it shrank by 75% in 162 years, then to one quarter acre (1,000 m²) in 1971. Today only 55 feet (17 m) by 145 feet (44 m) of the island remains. A newly formed group called the Squaw Island Preservation Society has raised citizen support to protect the island and its unique place in science and local history, after state officials said they would no longer maintain it. Work on the preservation was completed in Summer 2001.

Of 35.9 miles (58 km) of shoreline, 34.7 mi (97%) are private, only 1.2 mi (3%) is public.

History

The first steamboat in the Finger Lakes region was the Enterprise, which was launched in 1825 . Canandaigua Lake's steamboat era ran from 1827 with the launching of the Lady of the Lake and ended in 1935 when the Idler discontinued passenger service. There were fourteen major boats that provided commercial service on Canandaigua Lake. Today, the Canandaigua Lady, a 19th century replica of a double-decked paddleboat, continues this tradition.

The Native Americans and white settlers signed the Treaty of Canandaigua just north of the lake. This parchment that is in the Memorial Museum has the names of famous Indian chiefs. They are Red Jacket, Cornplanter, Handsome Lake, Farmer's Brother and Fish Carrier.

The lake is a popular second home destination for families from nearby Rochester, New York, as well as other parts of the northeast.

Points of interest

Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park, at the north end of the lake.
County Road 12 into Naples (town), New York at the South end of the lake, which is known for its beautiful views of the lake and is a favorite of fall travelers. Also along the road is the new South Bristol Overlook.

Translation of "Canandaigua Lake"

Esperanto: Canandaigua, Italian: Lago Canandaigua.