Trails, Sails and Rails Tour
for groups of 20 or more.
The Sterling Historical Society’s full day senior bus tour, entitled “Trails, Sails and Rails,” is replete with history, mysteries and the story of our railroad and shipping heyday which began over 140 years go.
Your group will arrange for transportation to Sterling at your expense aboard the chartered bus of your choice. The tour will be conducted aboard your bus. We will provide guides as well as the following:
Included in this tour is a luncheon at the historic Pleasant Beach Hotel. The example itinerary shown at the bottom of this page can be customized to suit the needs of your group. Five great tours were completed in 2011 featuring the Little Red Schoolhouse Museum (with 
coffee and warm donuts), a visit to the Sterling Mill Complex that dates back to 1813, and a visit to the Civilian Conservation Corps cabin museum in the Fair Haven Beach State Park. Lunch is included in the tour. After lunch, we continue around Little Sodus Bay with accounts of its colorful history and characters. The tour concludes with a shopping stop and a treat at Ontario Farm Market, the largest permanent farmer’s market in the region.
This group tour can be arranged at $25.00 per person with a minimum of 20 people. Your group must arrange bus transportation to Sterling and during the tour.
| To arrange your tour, contact: | Jim Chaffee 315-564-5192 Pat Shortslef 315-564-6721 info@SterlingHistoricalSociety.Org |
Example Itinerary
| 9:00 a.m. |
Arrive Little Red Schoolhouse Museum,
Sterling Center, Routes 38 & 104A |
| 9:10 – 10:00 |
“Barnstormers” (half group)
|
| 9:00 – 9:30 1st floor: Fresh donuts and coffee, Railway Exhibits,“Getting Up Steam” documentary video |
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| 9:30 -10:00 Gift Shop, Museum second floor: early industries, barber shop, kitchen, Civil War, general store, school room |
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“Saturday Night Specials” (half group)
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| 9:00 – 9:30 Gift Shop, Museum second floor: early industries, barber shop, kitchen, Civil War, general store, school room |
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| 9:30 – 10:00 1st floor: Fresh donuts and coffee, Railway Exhibits,“Getting Up Steam” documentary video |
|
| 10:00 – 10:30 |
Both groups – Railroad Signal Tower, Hand-pump Car, Exhibit Building |
| 10:30 -11:30 |
Bus to Sterling Nature Center
|
| 11:30 – 12:15 |
Bus Tour to Fair Haven Village via Fair Haven State Park, Fancher Avenue to Pleasant Beach Hotel
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* Rev. Arthur T. Clark, “the Flying Pastor”, Crash Site
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* Civilian Conservation Corps Cabin Museum, German POW camp, Lake Bluff overlooking Lake Ontario
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| 12:15 – 1:45 |
Pleasant Beach Hotel |
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* Luncheon, bayside historic hotel
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– Live Music
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– Cottage Farm Heritage District
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– Prohibition Era turning point of Coast Guard killing off Fair Haven Bay
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| 1:45 – 2:30 |
Street Stroll – Fly By Night Cookie Company, Wine Shop, Sports Store, Antique Shop, Two Gift Shops, Hardware Cafe, Central Park (Roy Maynard Memorial)
|
| 2:30 – 3:30 |
West Bay Tour – The Mystery Hotel, The River Styx, Pete the Alligator, Smuggling, Light Keeper’s House, West Barrier Bar, Channel to Lake Ontario
|
| 3:45 – 4:30 |
Ontario Orchards Farm Market, final treat of the day, shopping.
|
| 4:30 p.m. |
Departure
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