America's Byways® Press Room
April 8, 2003 - Seaway Trail Walks to Give Unique Views of Five Byway Towns

Westfield, Lewiston, Sackets Harbor, Clayton and Waddington, NY; 4/02/03 — Seaway Trail Walks® , a new copyrighted venture partnering one of America’s Byways with waterfront communities along New York State’s Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River shoreline, will offer visitors guided walking tours in Westfield, Lewiston, Sackets Harbor, Clayton and Waddington. Each community will host its Walk on a different weekday to form a weeklong series that will move travelers west-to-east along the 454-mile Seaway Trail. The one-and-a-half hour Walks begin June 9th and continue through October 17th.

This pilot program is helping communities promote a sense of local pride as part of the Seaway Trail and will be good for local economies by drawing heritage travelers from near and far, including international visitors, into the villages. The 5 pm tour start time and the availability of these Walks to individuals and families are by design to encourage walkers to shop, take the Walk, stay for dinner, and to perhaps stay overnight, says Teresa Mitchell, executive director of Seaway Trail, Inc.

We hope to expand this program in future years to spur additional economic development as people follow the Seaway Trail highway and stop in towns to enjoy leisurely strolls to learn about our region’s unique characters, architecture and folklore, Mitchell adds. “And these walks are a great way to get some fresh air and exercise.”

Mrs. Mitchell describes the five pilot communities as extremely walkable with unique village spaces where the walks with be focused.

Seaway Trail Walks: Westfield: Mondays, 5 pm
Architecture spanning nearly two centuries await Seaway Trail Walkers in the community of Westfield, home of the Lincoln-Bedell Statues. Tours begin at the Gazebo, near McClurg Museum in the Village Park, at Routes 394 and 20. These Seaway Trail Walks are sponsored by the Chautauqua County Historical Society and the Landmark Society of Chautauqua County.

Seaway Trail Walks : Lewiston: Tuesdays, 5 pm
An abolitionist, a socialite or one of Catherine Hustler’s cocktail girls are among the costumed guides who will lead the Seaway Trail Walks: Lewiston. The tour includes Niagara County’s oldest cemetery, an Underground Railroad site and the Lewiston Historical Museum. Walks begin at the Lewiston Visitor’s Center, 476 Center St. and are sponsored by Lewiston Council on the Arts and the Historical Association and Society of Lewiston.

Seaway Trail Walks : Sackets Harbor: Wednesdays, 5 pm
A battlefield, a barracks and a bay have all been part of Sackets Harbor’s history. Seaway Trail Walkers here will learn how historic preservation and tourism programs have influenced the Renaissance of a lovely Lake Ontario waterfront village. Walks begin at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center at the corner of West Main and Ray Streets.

Seaway Trail Walks : Clayton: Thursdays, 5 pm
Seaway Trail Walks through Clayton on the St. Lawrence River will acquaint you with the romance and history of the 1000 Islands. See houses once the homes of sea captains and shipbuilders and sites of riverfront industrial heritage. Walks begin at the Thousand Islands Museum at 312 James Street.

Seaway Trail Walks : Waddington: Fridays, 5 pm
St. Lawrence County’s oldest church, industrial period houses made of native stone, and the Ogden Land Office are among the historic register structures to be seen on the Seaway Trail Walks in the St. Lawrence Riverfront village of Waddington, where the first machine-made scythe and ax were made. Walks begin at the Town Hall, 38 Main Street, and are sponsored by the Waddington Chamber of Commerce.

Reservations are not needed for Seaway Trail Walks, which will go rain or shine. Call 1-800-Seaway-T (1-800-732-9298) for more details or to request a free copy of Journey Magazine 2003 & Directory to the Seaway Trail.

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