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Welcome to the |
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The Educational & Cultural Center of Northern New York
While Native Americans used the Raquette River for transportation, the
first really permament non-native settlement, where the the river
leaves
the mountains and enters the St. Lawrence Valley, began after 1802 when
David Clarkson and his brother-in-law purchased a large part of the
Township
of Potsdam. In spite of the long, cold winters, land was cleared for
farming,
and the river provided both transportation and power for the logging
industry.
A lot of Adirondack timber was floated down the Raquette to sawmills in
Potsdam. Large deposits of beautiful "Potsdam" sandstone provided the
building
materials for homes, schools and churches which can still be seen
today.
The river is also still providing power - hyroelectric power, and there
is a paper mill in nearby Unionville. See a 1905 map of the
Raquette River from Potsdam to South Colton.
Proud of being given the title of "The Educational and Cultural Center of Northern New York", Potsdam is home to two institutions of higher education: the State University College at Potsdam, including the Crane School of Music, and Clarkson University. The Potsdam Public Museum contains changing exhibits about local history and a fine collection of English pottery and porcelain. Concerts, art exhibits, and other cultural events occur year round. In the Market Street historic district in the downtown area of the village are numerous small specialty shops and restaurants. The Potsdam Summer Festival, usually the second week of July, features outdoor concerts, foot races, and sidewalk sales.
Recreational opportunities abound from golf courses, to indoor ice arenas, from hiking along the river on the newly developed Red Sandstone Trail, to skiing the cross-country trails on the Clarkson University campus.
04.20.06