Greater Syracuse Convention and Visitor's Bureau
572 S. Salina St.
Syracuse, NY 13202-3320
(315) 470-1910
Population
163860
Time Zone
Eastern
Latitude/Longitude
43.05° /-76.14°
Today's Forecast
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HIGH: 61
LOW: 41
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Surrounded by agricultural lands, and with the popular Finger Lakes vacation region to the west, Syracuse is the cultural and commercial hub of central New York state. Before the coming of European settlers, Syracuse was the capital of the Iroquois Nation. The Iroquois still occupy tribal lands south of the city. It was Native Americans who showed the new arrivals the salt springs that gave rise to the city's first major industry. With the building of the Erie Canal, Syracuse was given the means of transportation that it needed to grow.
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The Erie Canal ran right through Syracuse, bringing wealth and importance to a once sleepy little village. The legacy of those early times can be seen in the imposing Richardson Romanesque and Gothic-style buildings that grace Columbus Circle and Clinton Square downtown. The unique Weighlock Building houses the Erie Canal Museum; this is the last of seven such structures where canal barges were weighed and fees assessed. The nearby Onondaga Historical Association Museum has more exhibits on the people, businesses, and means of transport that created Onondaga County.
Once awash with abandoned warehouses, Armory Square is now awash with boutiques, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is the heart of the rejuvenated downtown. Its centerpiece is the MoST (Museum of Science & Technology) located in the historic Jefferson Street Armory. Exhibits here demonstrate the interconnections between science, innovation, life, and the environment.
The city's cultural institutions include the Everson Museum of Art (housed in a sculptural concrete building designed by I.M. Pei), the restored Landmark Theatre (a wildly ornate theatre built one year before the Great Depression), and the Lowe Art Gallery on the campus of Syracuse University. The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra performs at Mulroy Civic Center.
North of downtown, Onondaga Lake once suffered nearly fatal industrial pollution. Today, the revitalized waters are embraced by Onondaga Lake Park, a greenbelt with marina, recreational facilities, and historic sites. The park's Salt Museum has exhibits about the industry that first brought Syracuse to prominence and gave it its nickname, the "Salt City." A recreated 17th-century French mission is nearby.
You could also spend a day outdoors viewing elephants, pandas and penguins at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Burnet Park, or exploring the meadows, marshes and woodlands at Beaver Lake Nature Center in nearby Baldwinsville.
Local sports enthusiasts root for the basketball and gridiron exploits of the Orangemen of Syracuse University who play at the 50,000-seat Carrier Dome. Professional sports are found at Alliance Bank Stadium, the state-of-the-art home of the SkyChiefs triple-A baseball team, and at the War Memorial Arena where the Crunch play hockey in the American Hockey League.
With the end of summer, tens of thousands flock to Syracuse to attend the annual New York State Fair at the Empire Expo Center.
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