Cooperstown, New York

Cooperstown is a village located in upstate New York, 67 miles (108 kilometers) west of Albany. It is the county seat of Otsego County, and home to 2,032 people.

Cooperstown is widely known as the "Home of Baseball." According to the Mills Commission's investigation into the origins of baseball, the game was invented by Abner Doubleday in a Cooperstown cow pasture 1839. Although there is some doubt to the truth of this claim, the link between Cooperstown and America's favorite game is indisputable. The village is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown Bat Company, and the American Baseball Experience and Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum. At Cooperstown Dreams Park, players aged 12 and under can hone their skills and compete in the American Baseball Hall of Fame Invitational Tournaments. Even Hollywood is aware of the village's passion for baseball, and chose Cooperstown as the filming locale for the 1992 movie A League of Their Own.

The community is also home to a large number of historic attractions, which earned it the nickname "The Village of Museums." A guided walking tour is a wonderful way of learning about Coopertown's past, and the brave souls can also opt for the Candlelight Ghost Tour. On the weekend, take a scenic ride on the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad, or visit the Railway Museum in nearby Milford. Here's a bit of local trivia: Cooperstown was founded by Judge William Cooper. His son, James Fenimore Cooper, became a celebrated author, and penned many popular works including The Last of the Mohicans. You can learn more local history by visiting the Farmers' Museum, the David Sayre Store and House Museum, and Hyde Hall. Completed in 1818, Hyde Hall is a national historic landmark, and one of the finest neoclassical country mansions in the USA. Looking for a change of pace? Take a tour of Brewery Ommegang, which offers a great selection of Belgian-style ales.

For art buffs, Cooperstown offers the outstanding Fenimore Art Museum and an Art Association that organizes annual exhibits, classes, and special events. Great plays are provided by the Leatherstocking Theatre Company, and music lovers can look forward to the Chamber Music Festival, the Concert Series, and the internationally-renowned Glimmerglass Opera festival each summer.

For a breath of fresh air, head to the lovely and historic Brookwood Gardens, which lies on the shore of Otsego Lake. You can also visit Glimmerglass State Park, which offers fantastic fishing, beach activities, and wildlife-viewing in the summer; and fabulous cross-country skiing, skating, and snowmobiling opportunities in the winter. You're also a short drive from Adirondack Park and Catskill Forest Preserve.

A small village with enough attractions to rival many cities, Cooperstown is truly a gem of a community!

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