History of Letchworth State Park

One of my most beloved places to be is Letchworth State Park. I have fond memories of this place from my own childhood and we're also making our own family memories there.

You can read our blog post about our first camping trip at Letchworth here: The Heirloom Family: First Camping Trip.

This park holds such a rich history that I can't help but share with you some of the details I came to learn.
This vast park is often called the "Grand Canyon of the East" because of the three larger waterfalls systems within this immense canyon that allows the river to flow. There is a single railroad trestle that crossing right above the Upper Falls.

William Pryor Letchworth bought this land in 1859 and began work on the Glen Iris. In 1906 he gifted his 1,000 acre estate to the State of New York which now makes up the 14,000 acre State Park.

His home was the Glen Iris Inn which has been restored to now hold a bed-and-breakfast (my dream anniversary spot), a restaurant, museum and gift shop.

Before this, there is this great history of Mary Jemison who was known as the "White Indian of the Genessee" who was born in 1743. Her parents immigrated from an area near Ireland and were settling thier land as the French and Indian War took place.

At only 12 years old, Mary was captured along with her family and only she along with a younger brother were spared. She was then given to two Seneca Indians and they later adopted her.

She married a Native American and they had a son together. They traveled over 700 miles back back to New York where her husband became ill and died.

Because she was a widow, the's Sheninjee tribe took her inn and built her a home where she met her second husband and had six children with him.

She died at 90 years old and was originally buried on the Buffalo Creek reservation. In 1874 her remains were interned at Letchworth State Park where a bronze statue now stands near the ancient Indian Council House of the Senecas.