Malone

Adirondack Trail, State Rt. 30, in Franklin County

The town of Malone, about 10 miles south of the U.S. border with Quebec Canada, is the northern gateway to the 188-mile Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway.

Known as “The Star of the North,” the small town of Malone is county seat of Franklin County, and one of Northern New York’s most historic communities. A good place to begin is the House of History where you can learn about the town’s past, including the invasion of the British during the War of 1812, and its era as a thriving center of industry and transportation.

Stroll or bike neighborhoods with noteworthy examples of well-preserved Victorian homes. Some are called “Painted Ladies,” because of the bright color combinations of paint and gold leaf that bedeck porches, spires, and other beautiful architectural embellishments.

The First Congregational Church, one of many striking places of worship, is a designated historic site on the State of New York’s Underground Railroad Heritage Trail. Visit Morningside Cemetery, the gravesite of William Almon Wheeler who served as Vice President of the United States under Rutherford Hayes.

The annual Franklin County Fair is a quintessential family-oriented agricultural fair. See farm animal judging, craft exhibits, live entertainment, and midway rides. The nearby Wilder Farmstead draws visitors from around the world who come to explore the 84-acre living museum, boyhood home of Almanzo Wilder, described in Farmer Boy, by Wilder’s wife Laura Ingalls Wilder in the Little House book series.

In the summer stop at the farmers market, and roadside stands for home grown produce and crafts, including those made by people from nearby Amish farms. At specialty shops find antiques and one-of-a-kind crafts created by local artists.

In the Malone area you can find great four-season recreation opportunities. Skiers love nearby hills for downhill and trails for cross country adventures. If you enjoy fly fishing, the Salmon River is noted as an outstanding trout stream.

You may want to join the birders who come from around the northeast to watch -- and hear-- the thousands of Canada and snow geese that congregate daily on Rotary Lake in the fall.

Just outside Malone, plan to visit the Wilder Homestead, the authentic, restored boyhood home of Almanzo Wilder, husband of the author of the Little House series, Laura Ingalls Wilder.

• Franklin County Tourism Information

• Adirondack Regional Tourism Council