PO Box 35 :: Perry NY 14530 :: 585-237-5040 :: joinus@perrychamber.com
Legend of Silver Lake
Photos are from Clark Rice's collection
The Legend of The Sea Serpent
In the summer of 1855, reports of a horrible monster residing in Silver Lake began circulating in the Perry Area. The monster was first sighted by a group of fisherman who thought it to be a large log floating in the water. When it began to move, it became clear that it was a monster with a repulsive serpentine body and horrid looking head.
Repeated sightings of the monster by dozens of people over a period of several months caused the Wyoming times to publish that...."the existence of the monster of the fish of serpent species in the quiet waters of Silver Lake was established beyond reasonable doubt."
Expeditions were formed to capture the creature including one by a professional whaler. Soon Perry's hotels were filled to capacity. Monster stories were very good for business.
In the years following the summer of 1855, sightings of the sea serpent died away.
Is it dead? Is it hibernating? Will it wake some foggy summer evening to devour some unsuspecting fisherman? Or was it simply a well crafted hoax, concocted to increase business during a slow tourist season?
We'll never tell ...
The train station as it was on Silver Lake
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Loading ice at the Silver Lake Ice House @ 1910. |
