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The 11 Finger Lakes from East to West:
Roughly the western half of the Finger Lakes region composed the Phelps and Gorham Purchase of 1790, the largest land purchase in the world to that date. The Finger Lakes region, together with the Genesee Country of Western New York, has been referred to as the Burned-Over District, where, in the 19th centuryAlternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical ( 18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801- 1900. Events The Little Ice Age ended, the Second Great AwakeningThe Second Great Awakening was the second great religious revival in United States history and consisted of several kinds of activity, distinguished by locale and expression of religious commitment. In New England, the renewed interest in religion inspire was a revival of ChristianityChristian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. Although Christians generally chara, and some new religionReligion sometimes used interchangeably with faith, is commonly defined as belief concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine, and the practices and institutions associated with such belief. Borobudur, a Buddhist stupa built between 750 and 850 Adriaens were also formed.
The Finger Lakes region is an important agricultural belt of New York. The state land grant institution (Cooperative Extension) is Cornell UniversityCornell University located in Ithaca, New York, USA, is a major research university and a member of the Ivy League. Cornell was founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell, a businessman and a pioneer in the telegraph industry, and Andrew Dickson White, a respected s. Its alma materAlma mater is a term of academia derived from the Latin term for "nourishing mother. It is frequently used in the English language in reference to the university or college a person has attended. In American English, it is also in reference to a high scho begins with "Far above Cayuga's waters...", because it is on the hills overlooking the city of IthacaFor census data on the two municipalities called "Ithaca" see Ithaca (city), New York and Ithaca (town), New York. The city of Ithaca (named for the Greek island of Ithaca in Homer's Odyssey) sits on the southern shores of Cayuga Lake, in upstate New York and the southern end of Cayuga Lake. Cornell also maintains an important experiment station and horticultural gene bank at Geneva on the north end of Seneca Lake.
The rolling land between the lakes is occupied with dairy farms, many of them owned by Amish and Mennonite families. These farms raise corn, hay, wheat, oats, barley, and soybeans. Cabbages, sweetcorn, and potatoes are major vegetable crops. Maple syrup and honey are also local products.
Especially around Keuka Lake and the south ends of both Canandaigua and Seneca Lakes are many vineyards and farm wineries where one can often taste the wines before purchasing them. Most of the area was originally forested with oak, maple, chestnut, ask, hemlock, and beech trees, but the Iroquois maintained, by annual burning, the land between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes as prairie, with herds of bison, normally thought of as a western animal. Today the Finger Lakes area is still known for fishing and hunting. Winter sports are also popular, with skiing, snowmobling and ice fishing available.
The southern ends of the lakes are characterized by steeper hills and glacial hanging valleys which are tributaries that drop steeply to the lake, often with waterfalls. Taughannock Falls State Park, Fillmore Glen, and Watkins Glen are especially scenic examples that have been made into parks. The Village of Watkins Glen is a producer of table salt and the site of an auto racing course.
Hammondsport was the home of aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss, and the favorable air currents make the area a popular spot for glider pilots. Elmira, just to the south, was the home of Mark Twain in his later life, and the site of an infamous Civil War prison . Corning is most noted for the Corning Glass Company. Hornell, just southwest of the Finger Lakes was a major railroad center. Locomotives were repaired there until recently.On the northern end of the Finger Lakes is also Seneca Falls, the birthplace of the Women's suffrage movement, and Palmyra, the birthplace of the Latter Day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church. An annual outdoor drama, The Hill Cumorah Pageant, produced by the Mormons draws thousands of visitors each year.
The area is also known for education, with the largest institution being Cornell University in Ithaca. There is also the State University of New York at Geneseo and Cortland, Ithaca College in Ithaca, Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, Wells College in Aurora, Keuka College, and several community colleges.