The Story of Cooperstown | Page 2

HALL, from an old drawing 260
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER 263
THE CHALET A. J. Telfer 265
THE NOVELIST'S LIBRARY, a drawing by G. Pomeroy Keese 267
A PAGE OF COOPER'S MANUSCRIPT 269
THE HOME OF NANCY WILLIAMS C. A. Schneider 271
THREE-MILE POINT A. J. Telfer 282
THE CALL FOR THE INDIGNATION MEETING 284
THE COOPER SCREENS IN CHRIST CHURCH F. D. Coleman 293
AT FENIMORE COOPER'S GRAVE Alice Choate 297
SAMUEL NELSON, LL.D. 300
THE HOME OF JUSTICE NELSON C. A. Schneider 314
NELSON AVENUE A. J. Telfer 320
CHRIST CHURCHYARD, from the Rectory Alice Choate 327

THE COOPER PLOT, IN CHRIST CHURCHYARD A. J. Telfer 334
A FUNERAL IN CHRIST CHURCHYARD J. B. Slote 337
MAIN STREET, LOOKING WEST FROM FAIR STREET, 1861 347
FERNLEIGH A. J. Telfer 357
KINGFISHER TOWER M. Antoinette Abrams 359
THE LAKE, FROM THE O-TE-SA-GA J. B. Slote 365
FISHERMEN'S SHANTIES ON THE FROZEN LAKE A. J. Telfer
374
HOP-PICKING Elizabeth Hudson 378
MAP OF OTSEGO LAKE Henry L. Eckerson 381
THE SUSQUEHANNA, NEAR ITS SOURCE A. J. Telfer 383
LEATHERSTOCKING FALLS A. J. Telfer 387
FIVE-MILE POINT A. J. Telfer 388
MOHICAN CANYON M. Antoinette Abrams 389
GRAVELLY POINT A. J. Telfer 391
BISHOP POTTER A. F. Bradley 395
THE RECTORY C. A. Schneider 396
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY AND THE BISHOP OF
NEW YORK A. J. Telfer 405
BYBERRY COTTAGE C. A. Schneider 407
THE CLARK ESTATE OFFICE A. J. Telfer 409

THE LYRIC AT COOPER'S GRAVE J. B. Slote 420
COOPERSTOWN, FROM MOUNT VISION A. J. Telfer 430
MAP OF COOPERSTOWN H. L. Eckerson 432

The Story of Cooperstown
CHAPTER I
THE INDIANS
The main street of Cooperstown traverses the village in a direction
generally east and west. While the street and its shops are far superior
to those of most small towns, the business centre, from which the
visitor gains his first impression, gives no hint of the quaint and rustic
beauty that makes Cooperstown one of the most charming villages in
America.
Following the main street toward the east, one reaches the original part
of the settlement, and the prospect is more gratefully reminiscent of an
old-time village. In summer the gateway of the Cooper Grounds opens
a pleasing vista of shaded greensward, while the cross street which runs
down to the lake at this point attracts the eye to a half-concealed view
of the Glimmerglass, with the Sleeping Lion in the distance at the
north.
The historical associations of the village, from the earliest times, are
centered in the Cooper Grounds. Within this space, when the first white
man came, were found apple trees, in full bearing, which Indians had
planted, showing an occupation by red men in the late Iroquois period.
On these grounds the first white settler, Col. George Croghan, built in
1769 his hut of logs. During the Revolutionary War it was upon this
spot that Clinton's troops were encamped for five weeks before their
spectacular descent of the Susquehanna River. On this site William
Cooper, the founder of the village, built his first residence, and

afterward erected Otsego Hall, which later became the home of his son,
James Fenimore Cooper, the novelist.
[Illustration: THE COOPER GROUNDS]
Beyond the Cooper Grounds, on the main street, the buildings seen on
either hand belong to the earlier period of village history, except the
Village Club and Library, which gracefully conforms to the older style.
After passing the next cross-street, the main thoroughfare leads across
the Susquehanna River, and, beyond the bridge, becomes identified
with the old road to Cherry Valley. Keeping on up the incline, one
finds Mount Vision rising before him, and begins to gain fascinating
glimpses into the grounds of Woodside Hall, whose white pillars gleam
amid the pines above the Egyptian gate-tower, and whose windows,
commanding the whole length of the main street westward, reflect the
fire of every sunset.
Just before reaching Woodside, one observes a road which makes off
from the highway at the right, and runs south. Opening from this road
to Fernleigh-Over, and quite close to the corner, is a small iron gate
that creaks between two posts of stone. The gate opens upon a path
which leads, a few paces westward, to a large, terraced mound, well
sodded, and topped by two maple trees.
Sunk into the face of this mound is a slab of granite which bears this
inscription:
WHITE MAN, GREETING!
WE, NEAR WHOSE BONES YOU STAND, WERE IROQUOIS.
THE WIDE LAND WHICH NOW IS YOURS WAS OURS.
FRIENDLY HANDS HAVE GIVEN BACK TO US ENOUGH FOR
A TOMB.
These lines offer a fitting introduction to the story of Cooperstown.
There is enough of truth and poetry in them to touch the heart of the
most indifferent passer-by. No sense of pride stirs the soul of any white