Upstater

The view of Kingfisher Tower from 6014 State Route 80, Cooperstown

Oh, how we wish we’d known about Kingfisher Tower while we were visiting Cooperstown. The 60 foot tall Gothic tower was built in 1876 and designed by none other than Henry J. Hardenbergh, the architect behind the Dakota in NYC. Perched at the end of a tiny peninsula on the eastern shore of Lake Otsego, the tower is almost a mirage, a mysterious, ghostly spire that can be tough to spot during the summer. But when the leaves fall, Kingfisher Tower can be glimpsed through the trees from County Highway 31, which runs along the lake’s eastern shoreline. Now is a good time to catch it. Leaves or snow-covered branches could obscure it from view, and the only other way to see the tower is from the water since it’s located on private property. While we were in town, we took a quick drive up Highway 31 turned around before we came upon the tower. Bummer. Don’t make the same mistake we did. From the village, take Main Street east and keep following it as it makes a sharp left turn and becomes County Highway 31. Kingfisher Tower is about 2 miles outside of town (GMAP). We found a bit more info and some decent photos here. Good luck, and happy hunting!