Tag: Western New York

A Remembrance, in the Grand Canyon of the East

Our main objective was to hike the Gorge Trail in Letchworth State Park, to the three major waterfalls that are the highlight of this stunning place.

On a recent bright September morning, I along with seven friends who first met in college many years ago, drove together to Letchworth State Park in upstate New York, to bid a final farewell to a ninth friend, who passed away this year.

It is always a challenge to determine the best way to honor someone whom you remember as funny, outgoing, and full of life. Cliff was a real character, the kind of guy who would definitely not want a solemn and reverent remembrance as the coda to his final chapter. He was a rugby player, after all. I think we made the right decision in selecting this glorious park as the place to celebrate his life. Its exquisite natural beauty served as a balm that soothed the pain of our loss.

Letchworth is known at the “Grand Canyon of the East” for the gorges carved by the Genesee River. All photos are © Moxie Gardiner.

The park was first home to the Seneca Nation, and much later, the private estate of William Pryor Letchworth. To his credit, the wealthy industrialist preserved much of the natural flora and fauna of his surroundings, and eventually bequeathed his thousand-acre estate to the state of New York as a public park. The government, over time, further developed it into the 14,000 acre park it is today. It has become known as “The Grand Canyon of the East” because the swiftly flowing Genesee River has carved a wide gorge, as deep as 550 feet in some places, through the 17 miles of the long, narrow park.

There are spectacular views (and photo ops) from many of the hiking trails.
Well over 100 steps down to see the falls was not so bad, but coming back up…!

As it turned out, the timing of this memorial meant my friends and I were at the park just before the “leaf-peeping” season began. The place was not crowded that day, but for those who might be planning a visit, we learned that in 2025, Letchworth was voted — for the second time — “best state park in the United States” by USA Today. Letchworth now sees over a million visitors each year, so if you would like to enjoy a peaceful hike through this park, plan your visit accordingly.    

We began our visit at the pretty, well-appointed Visitor Center to pick up a map, study the trails, and decide where we would begin our hike.[1] If we had intended to spend more time there, we could have visited the Letchworth history museum, the Glen Iris Inn, or the Council Grounds where a long house built by the Senecas still stands. There are also opportunities for hiking, biking, kayaking, horse-back riding, and even hot-air ballooning, but those would need to wait for a different kind of visit.

The ever-flowing waters of spectacular Middle Falls.

Our main objective was to hike the Gorge Trail to the three major waterfalls that are the highlight of this stunning park. Waterfalls have long been a symbol of eternal life, with their constant flow of life-affirming waters and endless rejuvenation. What better way to remind ourselves of the cycle of life at a time of personal bereavement? At many points along the way, we reminisced about Cliff.

What better place to say farewell?

When we finally reached the falls, we were not disappointed. Although the path was steep in places, and we oldsters needed to rest from time to time, the ability to stand near each of these falls as they thundered far below us, was breathtaking and worth the effort. After our hike we drove to several more scenic overlooks, and at one of them, someone noticed a sign that had our friend’s first name on it. We decided it was a message from him, telling us we had done the right thing by coming here.

Afterwards, I reflected on this unique way to honor a friend’s memory, and decided that it is something that ought to be done more often. I hope when it is my time, my friends and family will take a long walk through a natural setting, and know that I am there, and that I am with them.

Have you ever visited Letchworth State Park? Have you ever honored a friend’s memory in this way? I would love to read your thoughts in the comment section, below.

Moxie Gardiner is a writer, gardener, and traveler who grew up on the West Side of Buffalo, NY. In a previous life she was a journalist, magazine editor, speech writer, and policy wonk. Back in the day she made three solo parachute jumps, flew in an F-15 fighter jet, and crawled through mud pits at the Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama. She now meditates, grows tomatoes, and enjoys a good online Zumba routine at home on winter evenings. Virgin Snow is her first novel, and she is currently working on Book Two in the trilogy.

[1] For more information on Letchworth State Park, visit https://letchworthpark.com/

Why Chautauqua is the Summer Camp that Soothes the Soul

The people who visit the Chautauqua Institution are there to seek solace, and turn their minds away from a troubled world.

Although I grew up in Buffalo, I was only vaguely familiar with the Chautauqua Institution and the world- renowned summer gathering that happens less than 90 minutes south of my hometown. Until recently that is. Now that I have gone to “CHQ” as it’s known, for two years in a row, I think I may be hooked forever.

Lewis Miller, one of the early founders of the Chautauqua Movement and father-in-law of Thomas Edison, built this cottage as the family’s summer residence. (All photos © Moxie Gardiner)

The Chautauqua Institution celebrated its 150th birthday last year, an idea born of necessity. Three similar American institutions—the camp meeting, the Lyceum, and the American Sunday School—had all declined in popularity by the start of the Civil War. Archivist and historian Jon Schmitz argues that after that terrible conflict had ended, many were searching for ways to cobble the country back together, and the Chautauqua Movement was born. Chautauqua, he says, was “a growing country’s admission of its need for education, culture, and moral improvement. In other words, it was a perfect American expression of what America wasn’t.”[1]

Authors’ Hour is a popular part of the writing program at CHQ.

Over the years, CHQ went through many evolutions, and at times was on the brink of collapse, particularly after the stock market crash of 1929. But donors who believed in its mission raised enough money for the Institution to survive. Today CHQ is thriving, offering a slate of recreational activities, cultural events, lectures, classes, and celebrity speakers to over 100,000 visitors during its summer program.

Last year I came for a day to do an Authors’ Hour reading. This year I stayed a week, primarily to attend a writer’s workshop, but learned while I was on campus, that CHQ offered many other things of interest to me. I went on nature tours with the Bird, Tree and Garden Club and visited a number of the 119 named gardens on the grounds. I toured several historical sights and took a ride on the steamboat, The Chautauqua Belle. I swam in Chautauqua Lake, went “forest bathing,” and listened to symphonies from the privacy of my hotel balcony.

There are a number of rain gardens on the Chautauqua grounds. A naturalist explains their purpose to our group.

I talked to a number of other visitors and learned that they came back year after year, and for many different reasons. Some liked the focus on religion and theology. Others liked to discuss contemporary issues. My sister, a writer who is currently focused on historical places in Western New York, came to investigate its well preserved buildings and its archives.

The Chautauqua Belle is an authentic steam wheeler, one of five left in the US.

As one of the early founders, Methodist Minister John Vincent understood, “It is one thing to attract people by offering them what they want, but Chautauqua keeps people coming back because it gives them what they need.[2] I wasn’t sure I understood what that meant until I fully immersed myself in the Chautauqua experience. What I learned is that with time, opportunity, and the encouragement of others, I was able to give my creativity and intellectual curiosity free reign. I was always on the go and learned a great deal, but at the same time, oddly enough, I was at peace.    

George Saunders, far left, best-selling author of Lincoln at the Bardo, answers questions about an opera based on his book.

With few exceptions, the people who visit the Chautauqua Institution are there to seek solace, and turn their minds away from a troubled world. If Chautauqua was created to heal the wounds of war and the divide that existed among Americans at that time, then perhaps, more than ever, it is the kind of place we Americans really need today.  

There is great value in slowing down and thinking deeply, in having conversations with a diverse set of people, and in learning new things at every age. I think we need more summer camps like this in our country.

Do you? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

The Chautauqua Osprey, created completely from recycled plastics, is a symbol of Chautauqua’s commitment to a healthy environment.

Moxie Gardiner is a writer, gardener, and traveler who grew up on the West Side of Buffalo, NY. In a previous life she was a journalist, magazine editor, speech writer, and policy wonk. Back in the day she made three solo parachute jumps, flew in an F-15 fighter jet, and crawled through mud pits at the Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama. She now meditates, grows tomatoes, and enjoys a good online Zumba routine at home on winter evenings. Virgin Snow is her first novel, and she is currently working on Book Two in the trilogy.

[1] From the booklet, CHAUTAUQUAWhat? A Short History of a Place and an Idea, page 3, by Jon Schmitz. Published in 2024 for the Institution’s 150th anniversary.

[2] Same booklet. Page 20.

For more information on the Chautauqua Institutions see https://www.chq.org/.