The sleepy little village of Hammondsport, NY (population 731 as of the year 2000 census) has just awoken from its long winter sleep and is now ready for the 2017 tourist season. I called the Village Tavern Restaurant on Saturday and asked if they were open and the person on the other end of the line answered, “In five minutes, we’ll be open for the season!” I said, “OK, we will be there for lunch in an hour”. Of course, some of the stores and shops don’t close in Hammondsport for winter, but with the arrival of spring, we longed to visit our favorite places in this unique picturesque village which is located at the southern end of Keuka Lake.
We arrived only hours after the last of the morning showers has passed and the sun came out to dry off the streets. It was just warm enough so that a few adventurous folks could enjoy their lunch outside the Village Tavern on the sidewalk across right from the village park. It was just a little too cool for us so we had our lunch inside. The hill behind Mechanics Street was just starting to come alive after winter. There were a few flowering trees to be seen and some greening up of the budding trees.
The Village Square at Hammondsport was still deserted and with the exception of a single person taking their dog for a walk in the square on this beautiful sunny afternoon, no one was in sight. Soon this scene will begin to change as neighbors and tourists return to a life style that hasn’t changed much in 100 years. And that’s why we like it so much there!
After lunch, we drove down to Depot Park. It’s still very early for the boating folks as one can see that the docks aren’t in place yet. As the temperatures begin to climb, this scene will slowly change as the boaters will be returning to Keuka Lake and the sun worshipers will once again be sun bathing along the lake’s shores.