The Chosen Spot: An Historical Walking Tour of Canandaigua

Discover what makes Canandaigua, tucked between Buffalo and Rochester in the Finger Lakes region of New York, the “chosen spot”. The name Canandaigua comes from the Native American word Kanandarque (means “chosen spot”) and on this circular walking tour of the city, I’ll tell you about its establishment in 1789, and other memorable moments in history.

Our leisurely stroll begins and ends at the Ontario County Historical Society. From there, you’ll see the city’s very first brick house and find out how it’s been used over the years. I’ll also tell you about the two New Englishmen, Oliver Phelps and his distinguished partner, Nathaniel Gorham, who purchased much of Western New York in 1789, making Canandaigua the seat of Ontario County. This walk is filled with captivating stories about events and people from days gone by, including Susan B Anthony, the legendary women’s rights activist. Along the way, you’ll see and hear about multiple homes and buildings in and around the city’s unusually wide main street, which holds many clues to its past.

On this hour-long walk, you’ll also:

• Listen to the little-known story of a Lincoln assassination plotter, who stayed overnight in Canandaigua before fleeing and later being captured abroad
• Gaze upon Ontario County Courthouse, where Susan B Anthony’s court case became a watershed event in the long struggle for women’s suffrage
• Take in the vast Village Green that was donated on the condition that it remain open to the public
• Learn about one of the earliest peace and friendship treaties between the newly-established United States and the tribes of the Six Nations
• Hear about the mysterious incident that would ignite a powerful movement against the Freemasons
• Understand why the New York Central Railroad resisted adding one particular line to its runs
• Find out about the young boy, born to slave parents in Virginia, who eventually went on to become well-known author, Austin Steward
• See some of the city’s most historical sites, including Pioneer Cemetery, Canandaigua City Hall and the First Congregational Church of Canandaigua

By the end of the tour, you’ll be able to answer questions like:

• Who from the surrounding area was nearly sculpted into Mount Rushmore?
• Where has peace and friendship been celebrated and honored each and every November 11th since 1794?
• What moniker was the Native American chief Sagoyewatha given by the British?
• Which amendment gave women the right to vote?
• Why are four large boulders so significant and representative of Canandaigua?

Come with me and delve into the history and heritage of this ‘chosen city’. Peppered in along the way are recommendations on where to eat, sleep and explore next.

Voice credits:
Brooke Knutson, now living in Canandaigua, NY, who kindly lent her voice to the part of Susan B. Anthony.
Will Davis, a longtime friend and native Upstate New Yorker, who now resides in Houston, Texas.