Since the days of the pioneers, St. Lawrence County's diverse waterways,
fertile soils, and dense forests have drawn a rich cultural mix of
peoples. These early settlers built the colorful barns, mills, and
lighthouses of a working community. Over time, the area was transformed
by one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the St. Lawrence Seaway;
by the great educational institutions of the valley; and by modern
industries like Corning, the high-tech creator of windows for the space
shuttle.
St. Lawrence County is bracketed by two great vacation meccas, the
Thousand Islands and the Adirondack Park. Artist Frederick Remington's
island retreat at Ingleneuk and Henry Rushton's Canton boat works are no
longer with us, but the port of Ogdensburg still boasts elegant
nineteenth-century homes. Rushton's crafts can still be found at
exhibitions at Paul Smith's College or gracing Lake Flower in the
village of Saranac Lake. Daily life in hamlets such as Star Lake, North
Creek, and Blue Mountain Lake can still evoke a simpler time.