About Cooperstown


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	"Cooperstown" *Reprinted with permission from "Otsego 2005: Where to Go & What to Do in Otsego & the Surrounding Area." Copyright 2005, Otsego Templeton Publishing Company, Inc.* The Village of Cooperstown offers a diverse and pleasing variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions for the visitor in a welcoming small-town environment on the shores of beautiful Lake Otsego. Visitors may enjoy strolling along our quiet, tree-lined residential streets. We're very proud of our homes in Cooperstown. You'll find examples of Colonial, Greek Revival, Gothic, Queen Anne, and other architectural styles lovingly maintained by those of us who have the great good fortune to live here. Most visitors take the Cooperstown Trolley from the free parking lots into the heart of the village, which makes frequent and regular stops at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, The Farmers' Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, and just about anywhere else you'd like to go in Cooperstown. Downtown Cooperstown is in a relatively small area composed of Main Street, Chestnut Street, Pioneer Street, and several other charming cross-streets and alleys. Although small in size, the village offers quite a lot to see and to do. The Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, 31 Chestnut Street, adjacent to the entrance to Doubleday Field, is definitely worth a visit for information about our shops, restaurants, accommodations, and special events. The chamber also operates an information kiosk in Pioneer Park at the corner of Pioneer and Main streets during the peak season. Over the past 10-15 years, Cooperstown has seen a large number of baseball-oriented shops open, particularly on Main Street. There are many other specialty shops and boutiques offering a wide variety of merchandise, including antiques, clothing, jewelry, books, home furnishings, and a growing number of fine eating establishments. Many of these are located down our charming side streets, which are often overlooked by visitors. Although Otsego Lake is only two blocks away from Main Street it, too, is sometimes missed by visitors who are drawn to Cooperstown specifically to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. Long before the establishment of the Hall of Fame in 1939, the lake was a principle attraction of our village. The nine mile-long spring-fed lake which serves as the headwaters for the Susquehanna River is famous for the mirror-like quality of its tranquil waters which reflect the beauty of the surrounding Otsego Hills. In the novels of James Fenimore Cooper Otsego Lake is known as "Glimmerglass Lake" for this quality. Lakefront Park offers a beautiful view of the lake for visitors to the village. There are several other parks available for lake recreation within a short driving distance. Located on the lake shore is the magnificent Otesaga Resort Hotel on Lake Street, where visitors are welcome to enjoy breakfast, brunch, and lunch buffets, or dinner in the main dining room or the more casual Hawkeye Grill. The verandah, with its panoramic view of Otsego Lake, offers a romantic setting for drinks after a day visiting Cooperstown's shops and museums. The resort's Templeton Lounge features live music and dancing on most nights of the week. The world-famous Doubleday Field baseball stadium stands right in the center of the village just off Main Street. This is the stadium where the Hall of Fame game is played annually, and throughout the season there's almost always a baseball game being played on the field which visitors may attend either for free or for a nominal charge. The field was built on the site where many believe baseball was first played after being "invented" by Abner Doubleday. Adjacent to Doubleday Field's parking lot are a number of unique shops. Handcrafted jewelry and gifts are featured at Cooper Country Crafts, which is owned and operated by local artists and artisans. A wide array of craft items is on offer, from pottery and stained glass to dolls and quilts, all hand crafted. Next to Cooper Country Crafts is Essential Elements, a day spa and boutique featuring such a variety of beautiful and interesting things it's impossible to list them all here. You can also enjoy being pampered at their day spa with a massage, pedicure, manicure, facial, body wrap, or a complete spa treatment sure to delight and restore mind and body. Down Essential Element's garden path is Main Street, where Willis Monie Books invites you to browse through rooms stacked floor-to-ceiling with used, rare, and out-of-print books and ephemera. Once you get out onto Main Street just look to the left. A sign will lead you down a brick-lined hall to this bibliophiles' Mecca. Many book lovers believe they've found paradise here, and return often. Baseball fans will find they have a large selection of baseball books for perusal as well. Willis Monie's can get just about any book you may be looking for with their search service and complete mail-order service. Their staff are friendly, helpful, and extremely knowledgeable. On the corner of Chestnut and Main streets, at the traffic light, stands Schneider's Bakery in a landmark corner building. They offer fresh coffee and the best old-fashioned doughnuts you have ever tasted. Of course, Schneider's also features all manner of other baked goods, and the delicious aroma is hard to pass by. Don't miss out on visiting The Village Cobbler, a unique shoe store offering brands like Merrell and NAOT, as well as music boxes from the San Francisco Music Box Company and other quality giftware. They're located near the corner of Main and Chestnut streets in a little red "house" behind Schneider's Bakery. Shopping and browsing Cooperstown's fine specialty shops will give you an appetite after a little while. Danny's Market on Main Street bake their own brick oven bread, and serve coffee, other hot and cold beverages, over-stuffed sandwiches and salads that are perfect for picnics, and offer a wide range of gourmet and specialty foods. Gourmet foods are also featured on Saturdays from 8 a.m. till 2 p.m. from mid-May through October at The Cooperstown Famers' Market which occupies a large building on Pioneer Alley just off Main Street. Watch for the people carrying fresh cut flowers and bags of fresh, locally-grown produce, and ask them where they came from. The Famers' Market is a favorite for us locals for everything from garlic, potatoes and tomatoes to baked goods, fresh eggs, plants, honey, maple syrup, a delicious assortment of foods from around the world, and hand-made crafts, including locally hand-knit wool, hand-made soap, candles -- you name it. Just bear in mind the seasonal nature of many products which are grown at local farms, and changing vendors, when shopping the market. Guided Walking Tours of Cooperstown are available Fridays and Saturdays from June throughout October. A professional tour guide in period costume will lead you through the village's many points of interest. You will come away with a wealth of knowledge about Cooperstown's wonderfully rich history and architecture. Tours meet at the Information Kiosk in Pioneer Park at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. They are $10 per person, children under 12 are free, and are limited to a maximum of 15 persons. Reservations are suggested but not required. Call (607) 547-6181. Otsego County Conservation Association, located in Pioneer Alley just off Main Street in Cooperstown, is one of the area's most active organizations helping to preserve our natural beauty. OCCA gets involved in all sorts of important issues, from solid waste management to land use, and is working on behalf of Mother Nature and all of us in Otsego County. Pioneer Alley leads you out onto Pioneer Street, where you'll find Cooperstown Wine & Spirits. They offer an extensive selection of imported and domestic wines and other libations. ... Upstairs is Cooperstown's only cigar store that offers handmade quality cigars, CooperstownCigar.com, with such well-known names as Montecristo, Punch, Dunhill, and Macanudo. The atmosphere is smoker friendly. Located in a former historic bank building, the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum features more than 30 life-sized wax figures of some of the most popular and prominent players in the game. The outdoor food court is open throughout the summer. A virtual reality batting cage and extensive gift shop will thrill the baseball fans in your family. Afterward, take a stroll across the street to Nicoletta's Italian Cafe at 96 Main Street for a great meal. Baseball fans will also enjoy the many shops which cater to the national pasttime. Among them, right along Main Street, are America's Game, The Cooperstown Clubhouse, Cooperstown Grand Slam, On Deck Circle and Seventh Inning Stretch. Those of you looking for something a little different are invited to stop by Ladybug, also on Main Street. For fine crafts, leather, jewelry and games, look to Riverwood. Under new ownership, Tin Bin Alley is one of Main Street Cooperstown's longest running shops for gifts and goodies. There's something delicious or delightful on every shelf! Cooperstown Natural Foods, on Linden Avenue, specializes in organic produce and meats, natural supplements, gluten-free foods, and natural and organic health and beauty products. The health conscious will find no shortage of exciting offerings walking down this independent supermarket's aisles! Summertime calls for ice cream. If you drive south on State Route 28 a few miles you'll reach Pop's Place, which serves hard and soft-serve ice cream, as well as other tasty foods, in a beautiful rural setting. But before you leave the village you can "gas up" at Taylor's Mini Mart on Chestnut Street across from The Cooperstown Motel. Also known as "Taylor's Tower," this landmark full-service gas station, car wash, and well-stocked convenience store has been serving this community since 1942. Look for the lighthouse. Taylors also operates stores on Route 28 in Goodyear Lake, and on Route 7 in Oneonta. From licenses, to supplies, jewelry, gifts and more, Willow Brook Outfitters on State Route 28 is a one-stop shop for outdoor life. Willow Brook Outfitters specializes in all the necessary items for outdoorsmen, sportsmen and spectators. Barnyard Swing, with its miniature golf/arcade center, is a must-see for families. Right next door to Cooperstown Dreams Park on State Route 28, visitors will find golf, ice cream, arcade games, local products in the gift shop, gem panning, and tons of other fun activities. Howard Johnson Inn & Suites is one of the area's newest accommodation destinations, currently under construction right on State Route 28. The brand new hotel will feature special kids' rooms, an indoor pool, exercise room and much more. Wood Bull Antiques, just north of the Village of Milford on State Route 28, is a huge barn brimming with treasures. Its three acres of paths and ponds feature many wonderful surprises, as well. Since the history of Cooperstown is so closely associated with the life and work of 19th-century novelist James Fenimore Cooper it should come as no surprise to learn that we have a few writers living in our midst. Niles Eggleston of nearby Milford is the author of "Eva Coo, Murderess," a fascinating and factual account of a sensational 1936 murder trial which launched Cooperstown into national news and led to one of the only electric chair executions of a woman in New York State. Just as interesting, albeit not in the least macabre. newspaper columnist Jane Johngren has published collected columns in "Freelance Writer -- Looking on the Bright Side." Area physician Dennis Savoie has published a comprehensive manual for the bicycling enthusiast titled "Cranks From Cooperstown," a great source of information for anyone wishing to pedal our beautiful rural region. These books are available at area bookstores and some gift shops. Of course, Cooperstown has many service-oriented businesses, including pharmacies, hardware stores, florists, watch and camera repair, video stores, and building supply outlets. Cooperstown General Store, right next to the Hall of Fame on Main Street, offers a gigantic variety of general merchandise as its name implies. Church and Scott Pharmacy, which has served this community for over 100 years, will gladly assist you with your pharmaceutical needs at their Lower Chestnut Street location. Box Office Video, just past the traffic light on Main Street, has a large selection of movies to rent or purchase, as well as books on tape and various game system games for the kids. If you're looking for home building and remodeling supplies, paint, lumber, or hardware, shop where the contractors shop at Bruce Hall Corp. on upper Main Street. Across the street from Bruce Hall's, at 207 Main Street, is Mohican Flowers, a full-service florist. They've been in business for more than 100 years, and the place smells really nice... Smith-Cooperstown is located just outside the village on State Route 28, going south. They provide auto sales and repairs, and they also have some rentals available. Continuing south, you will soon come across Golf Store & More, nestled in a cozy corner of Index. Golfers will find all the necessities and more in what has come to be called "the smartest little golf shop in New York State." A bit further on, Cooperstown Cottage Cards and Gifts, located in The Commons shopping center, is our local Hallmark affiliate. As you make your way along Route 28 into Milford, you won't be able to miss the sign pointing to Pistol Packin Mamas, nor will you be able to resist a browse through the antiques and firearms found there! Cooperstown is the Otsego County seat, and it's also home to a large and well-known teaching hospital. Our year-round population is only around 2,500, with another 8,000 or so who support our local businesses from the surrounding area. Of course, we benefit tremendously from the huge number of visitors who come to Cooperstown every year, and we hope that you feel most welcome, enjoy your stay, and come back to visit us again. \| Return Home \| Photo Gallery \| The Boathouse \| About Cooperstown \| Who is AHP? \| Contact Us \| Great Links \| Local Realtors \| The Gazebo \| New Properties \|