In 2024, New York State Parks and Historic Sites will celebrate our Centennial, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of our parks and sites system. While we have incredible public properties older than the 100-year-old system, the Centennial celebrates the vital legislation that allowed us to build and expand our network of parks and sites, forging the system we know and love today.
As OPRHP Commissioner, I am reminded every day of the immense pride and enjoyment New Yorkers take in our facilities. To prepare New York State residents and visitors from around the world for the exciting year ahead, I recently embarked on a two-day journey to showcase the breadth of our parks and sites system, highlighting various activities and partnerships that make our system so unique.
During the launch tour, a small group of staff and I made ten stops – at Olana State Historic Site, Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, Harriman State Park, Jones Beach State Park, Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site, Niagara Falls State Park, Ganondagan State Historic Site, Green Lakes State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park – where I enjoyed biking, ziplining, firing a cannon, swimming with lifeguards, kayaking, lighting Niagara Falls for its evening illumination, and more! I was also pleased to have special guests join us all along the way at tour-stop events, and to have the chance to connect with many of our amazing staff members and supporters as well.
Day 1: August 2, 2023
Exciting advancements are underway at Olana! On this first stop, I took in breathtaking views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains from the site’s heralded viewshed alongside site director Amy Hausmann, Assemblymember Didi Barrett, and The Olana Partnership president Sean Sawyer. We also toured the in-progress, $25 million-capital improvement projects currently underway. These site updates will provide a more enhanced visitor experience, and I can’t wait to share them in the near future.
Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park
Celebrating with park staff, key partners from the Dyson Foundation, NYS Bridge Authority, Walkway Over the Hudson Friends, Scenic Hudson, and more, it was great to take a bicycle ride high above the Hudson River on this beautiful Wednesday morning. Thank you to Senator Rob Rolison and both the Ulster County and Dutchess County directors of tourism for joining us as well. Walkway is a popular and well-trafficked park — through the power of collaboration, this once-damaged rail bridge is now the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge and a trail enjoyed by all.
Stepping back in time, I next had the wonderful opportunity to reminisce on my first job with New York State as a lifeguard at Harriman State Park’s Lake Welch. After discussing the 2024 Centennial with supportive park partners, Senator William Weber, Senate Tourism and Parks Committee Chair Jose Serrano, and Assemblymember Kenneth Zebrowski, I took a quick dip in the lake with the current lifeguard crew! While none of them were born when I worked there in the early 80s, I can say with certainty that we’re lucky to have such energetic and thoughtful staff protecting beachgoers.
With our State Council of Parks chair Bryan Erwin and other Long Island regional Commission members by my side, plus Discover Long Island president and CEO Kristen Reynolds, Assemblymember David McDonough, and staff from Senator Steve Rhoads’ office, I had the privilege of unveiling a Centennial-themed sand sculpture at iconic Jones Beach State Park. To make this stop even more memorable, I then took a thrilling ride on the zipline in the WildPlay area. We’ve truly got it all at State Parks!
Niagara Falls State Park: Lighting the Falls
To round out Day One, I swung by America’s oldest state park, Niagara Falls, and had the honor of lighting the Falls for its nightly illumination. What colors did I choose, you might ask? OPRHP’s Centennial green and gold, of course.
Day 2: August 3, 2023
Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site
Day Two kicked off with a boom as I lit and fired a cannon at Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site – one of the oldest sites on the Great Lakes, and our most visited state historic site. Many thanks to staff from Senator Robert Ortt’s office, Assemblymember Angelo Morinello, and all of our talented reenactors who joined in the fun that morning for a truly unique experience. Let the record reflect that Canada surrendered to our cannon blast.
Niagara Falls State Park: Hurricane Deck
One stop to Niagara Falls the night before wasn’t enough, so I headed back to this international destination visited by more than nine million people annually. While the sun was shining, I was joined by the Destination Niagara Falls president and CEO John Percy and local elected officials for a brief news conference before stopping by the popular Hurricane Deck for a quick spritz and larger-than-life Niagara Falls experience. Great to hang with Park Police and Rangers during that stop as well!
Ganondagan State Historic Site
Heading to the Finger Lakes, I was honored to visit Ganondagan State Historic Site next, the only New York State historic site fully dedicated to a Native American history. In addition to touring the wampum exhibit, which includes phenomenal wampum objects given to French diplomats prior to the Revolutionary War, I also had the opportunity to tour the site’s Haudenosaunee longhouse. The longhouse was home to several families, all belonging to the same Seneca clan. Our staff’s dedication to preserving and interpreting our whole history, alongside Friends of Ganodagan, never ceases to amaze me. Great to see Senator Pamela Helming and Assemblymember Marjorie Byrnes as well!
Featuring two glacial lakes formed at the end of the last Ice Age nearly 15,000 years ago, Green Lakes State Park is the perfect spot for a day of recreation. With sandy beaches, wooded campgrounds, a popular golf course, and crystal-clear waters, I certainly had my choice of a variety of activities to help promote our system’s Centennial. Joined by friends from Parks and Trails NY, Senator John Mannion, and Assemblymember Al Stirpe, I opted to take a crystal (transparent bottom!) kayak out for a spin on this unique meromictic lake.
Rounding out Day Two and the final stop of the tour, I passed by Saratoga Spa State Park where visitors can experience trails, museums, history, swimming, golf, and so much more. Known for its state-of-the-art amphitheater, I was welcomed onstage by Saratoga Performing Arts Center CEO, Elizabeth Sobol, to introduce the Philadelphia Orchestra who call Saratoga and “SPAC” its summer home. As a bonus, I also got to connect with WAMC’s Joe Donahue and author Richard Russo in the Spa Little Theater green room after a conversation they shared as part of SPAC’s literary arts series.
I’ve got to tell you: just as this whirlwind tour of ten stops in two days started to make me feel even slightly fatigued, the locations, staff, partners, and guests along the way energized me in a tangible way that was truly remarkable. New York’s State Parks and Historic Sites system is unmatched nationwide. Many thanks to the incredible staff who helped with this tour, and for all of the commission members and friends who came out to spur and lift me along.
And just like that, our 100th anniversary is underway and will continue into our true Centennial year beginning in January 2024. I really wanted to show the world how broad, varied and rich our system of parks and sites is, and I certainly hope that energy comes through.
We’ll see you out there!
-Written by Erik Kulleseid, Commissioner of NY State’s Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 
I am not trying to be “snarky” but why do all “state” tours focus on the same places and parks? Is there something less valuable about the parks of the Southern Tier along Route 17/86 out to Lake Erie or up Route 88 or north of Route 90 or above Albany? It always seems that any trip goes NYC to Albany to Buffalo. I don’t know if you also are responsible for the DEC parks in the Catskills or Adirondaks but they are NY parks, too. Some of the other NYS parks could use an advertising boost and some more financial help.
The announcement tour was the first of many. We plan to showcase our parks in New York’s Southern Tier and in the Thousand Islands and New York’s North Country as well during our Centennial year. Stay tuned!