Discover 10 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Cooperstown (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, and Farmers' Museum. Also, be sure to include Doubleday Field in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Cooperstown (New York).
Table of Contents
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Revered gathering spot for baseball fans. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-related artifacts and exhibits, honoring those who have excelled in playing, managing, and serving the sport. The Hall's motto is "Preserving History, Honoring Excellence, Connecting Generations". Cooperstown is often used as shorthand for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, similar to "Canton" for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1939 by Stephen Carlton Clark, an heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune. Clark sought to bring tourists to a city hurt by the Great Depression, which reduced the local tourist trade, and Prohibition, which devastated the local hops industry. Clark constructed the Hall of Fame's building, and it was dedicated on June 12, 1939. (His granddaughter, Jane Forbes Clark, is the current chairman of the board of directors.) The erroneous claim that Civil War hero Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown was instrumental in the early marketing of the Hall.
An expanded library and research facility opened in 1994. Dale Petroskey became the organization's president in 1999. In 2002, the Hall launched Baseball as America, a traveling exhibit that toured ten American museums over six years. The Hall of Fame has since also sponsored educational programming on the Internet to bring the Hall of Fame to schoolchildren who might not visit. The Hall and Museum completed a series of renovations in spring 2005. The Hall of Fame also presents an annual exhibit at FanFest at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
The San Francisco Giants have the most inductees, with 66.[1]
Address: 25 Main St, 13326 Cooperstown
Fenimore Art Museum
Museum in Otsego County, New York. The Fenimore Art Museum is a museum located in Cooperstown, New York on the west side of Otsego Lake. Collection strengths include the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, American fine and folk art, 19th and early 20th century photography, as well as rare books and manuscripts. The museum's mission is to connect its audience to American and New York State cultural heritage by organizing exhibits and public programs that "engage, delight and inspire."
The house organ was titled Heritage.
The Fenimore Art Museum is closely associated with The Farmers' Museum, also in Cooperstown.[2]
Address: 5798 State Rte 80, 13326-2500 Cooperstown
Farmers' Museum
Museum in Otsego County, New York. The Farmers' Museum is located in Cooperstown, New York, and is one of the best-known attractions in the town.
Just north of Cooperstown, it overlooks Otsego Lake and recreates rural life from the 19th century through exhibits and interactive workshops. There are more than two dozen authentic, historic buildings on the grounds, including a tavern, a farmstead, a printing office, a pharmacy, a blacksmith's shop, a doctor's office and a general store. There are also exhibits of nineteenth-century games, a children's barnyard and the Cardiff Giant.
The Farmers' Museum is home to the Empire State Carousel, a hand-crafted merry-go-round which celebrates New York State's history, culture and environment, built on a vintage 1947 36-foot Alan Herschell carousel mechanism. The carousel is the result of efforts made by carver Gerry Holzman of Islip, NY and over 1,000 volunteers from across New York State. The entire production took over two decades. Its artwork incorporates 25-hand carved animals that represent the agricultural and natural resources of New York State.[3]
Address: Lake Road, 13326 Cooperstown
Doubleday Field
Stadium in Cooperstown, New York. Doubleday Field is a baseball stadium in Cooperstown, New York named for Abner Doubleday and located two village blocks from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
The grounds have been used for baseball since 1920, on what was Elihu Phinney's farm. A wooden grandstand was built in 1924, later replaced by a steel and concrete grandstand built in 1939 by the Works Project Administration. Subsequent expansion has increased seating capacity to 9,791 spectators.[4]
Address: 1 Doubleday Ct, 13326-1222 Cooperstown
Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum
Museum, Specialty museum, History museum
Address: 99 Main St, 13326-1244 Cooperstown
Cooperstown Historic District
Historical landmark in Cooperstown, New York. The Cooperstown Historic District is a national historic district in Cooperstown, Otsego County, New York, that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It encompasses 232 contributing properties: 226 contributing buildings, 1 contributing site, 3 contributing structures, and 2 contributing objects. Among the contributing properties is the village's post office, which is individually listed on the National Register.
In 1997, the boundaries of the historic district were increased to include the Fenimore Farm Stone Agricultural Buildings that were built in 1918 and designed by Frank P. Whiting.[5]
The Smithy
Museum, Art gallery, Shopping, Public art
Address: 55 Pioneer St, 13326-1249 Cooperstown
Otsego County Courthouse
Courthouse in Cooperstown, New York. Otsego County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building in Cooperstown, Otsego County, New York. It is a 2+1⁄2-story, brick-and-stone structure on a foundation of coursed ashlar. It was designed by Archimedes Russell and built in 1880. It features a gable roof, projecting pavilions, and a tower with supporting pavilion and overhanging top stage. The front facade of the building is dominated by a large stained glass window.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[6]
Glimmerglass State Park
State park in Otsego County, New York. Glimmerglass State Park is a 593-acre state park located north of Cooperstown, in Otsego County, New York. Most of the park is located inside the Town of Springfield.[7]
Address: 1527 County Highway 31, 13326 Cooperstown
United States Post Office
Post office in Cooperstown, New York. US Post Office-Cooperstown is a historic post office building located at Cooperstown in Otsego County, New York, United States. It was built in 1935-1936, and is one of a number of post offices in New York State designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, Louis A. Simon. It is one story in front and two stories in the rear with and exposed basement. It is constructed of brick on a raised concrete foundation and limestone watercourse and beltcourse. The principal facade is symmetrically composed with a three bay pedimented central section faced entirely with ashlar limestone. The building displays Colonial Revival style details. The interior features a 1938 sculpture by artist Bela Janowsky depicting James Fenimore Cooper and two characters from his writings, Chingachgook and Natty Bumpo.
In 1988, the post office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a contributing property to the Cooperstown Historic District, which was listed on the National Register in 1980.[8]