Hanford Mills Museum, New York: A Glimpse of America's Industrial Past

Just 35 miles from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and nestled in the foothills of New York's Catskill Mountains, the Hanford Mills Museum in East Meredith provides a fascinating glimpse of America's industrial past.

Established back in 1846 and owned for most of its commercial life by the David Josiah Hanford family, the mill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This “rural industrial complex” (shown below) included a sawmill, gristmill, feed mill, woodworking shop and hardware store. Carefully restored, many of them still operate.

It's worth spending several hours here; a pretty picnic area overlooks the picturesque millpond.

East Meredith is on Delaware County Road 10, about 4 miles south of State Highway 23 and about 13 miles east of Oneonta, which is on I-88 (Exit 13). The museum is where County Roads 10 and 12 meet; it's open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from May through October. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12. For details, call 1-800-295-4992.