By Mary Ellen “Mel” ChesbroOswego County’s tourism encompasses destinations for all four seasons. Whether it is salmon fishing in the spring, baseball tournaments and ATVs in the summer, hunting in the fall or snowmobiling in the winter and multiple historical museums open all year which entices thousands of tourists to choose Oswego County over and over again.While the Oswego County Legislature’s main mission is to be the financial stewards and policy makers for our residents, it is also very cognizant of the importance of the county’s quality of life. Tourism directly impacts both goals because it is an economical and environmental powerhouse for our county. Not only does it provide activities to draw tourists to visit here but it provides important amenities for Oswego County residents to enjoy. Tourism also provides opportunities for businesses to open and grow as it brings awareness to the importance of protecting our environment.Every year the legislature approves funding and assistance to tourism entities such as Legends Field, Dr. Mary Walker, Camp Hollis, Camp Zerbe and snowmobile clubs to name just a few. The legislature also works closely with Operation Oswego County/IDA to bring in new businesses to address the tourism trade.Oswego County is home (more…)

Rich history envelopes state park prior to America’s independenceBy Tom and Jerry CaraccioliThe Battle Island State Park and Golf Course features 18 holes and 5,973 yards of manicured fairways and greens. Many players and visitors are not aware of the significance of the site.During the 2023 golf season in Central New York nearly 20,000 rounds of golf were played on a course along the Oswego River that got its name from a pre-Revolutionary War skirmish.To this day, many of those golfers — and other visitors — probably are not even aware of the name’s significance.While most visitors to Battle Island State Park and Golf Course are more concerned with birdies and pars on a course featuring 18 holes and 5,973 yards of manicured fairways and greens, this area played a vital role in the history and birth of America. The repercussions of what occurred on this land would be remembered in the burgeoning years and decades after our nation’s birth, as well as today.Two decades before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the rivers and lakes of Upstate New York, as well as west through the Ohio River Valley region, served as important waterways for commerce — especially fur (more…)

Under its third ownership since its 1947 start, ice cream stand in Oswego caters to about 100,000 patrons per seasonBy Tom and Jerry CaraccioliWorld famous Lake Ontario sunsets are a main attraction at Bev’s and “The Loop.”Historically, “the loop” was the turn-around spot for the local trolley heading in and out of the town of Oswego in the early- to mid-20th century.Today if you ask an Oswegonian what “the loop” is, you’re sure to get a quick and resounding answer — “Rudy’s and Bev’s.”While an order of a fish with chips and a Coke from Rudy’s is often an entrée for many who take a ride along the picturesque shoreline of Lake Ontario in southwest Oswego on any given summer evening, no trip around the loop is really complete without satisfying one’s sweet tooth with an ice cream from Bev’s.Formally known as “Bev’s Dairy Treats,” the 1,200 square foot ice cream “emporium” has been serving up summer treats to locals, SUNY Oswego college students and visitors for nearly eight decades.The original founder and owner was the family of Beverly (Mulcahey) Fragale, who died in 2020 at 88. Bev Mulcahey was 15 years old when her parents opened Bev’s Dairy Treats (more…)

By Mary Beth Roach Those who seek a little more adventure on their vacation don’t have to travel too far to discover some unique rentals that are sure to make…

Bed & breakfast businesses lose guests as competition with Airbnb grows By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Since its introduction in 2009, Airbnb and eventually other similar companies have changed public lodging,…