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Click to Enlarge all Picts
Town Seal / Village Seal
Welcome!
Welcome! - The electronic version featuring
town happenings and goings on.
Jeans Bar & Grill
Linda Lou's - Popular breakfast & lunch cafe
Methodist Church
Baptist Church (INFO)
Lutheran Church (INFO)
Catholic Church
Have a Picnic here.
Once Wilson's principal employer.
Sunset Island Home
Sunset Island Homes
Sunset Island Home
Triathlon
Triathlon
Triathlon
Signs pointing the way
Wilson Harbor (west)
Tuscarora State Park Marina
Bridge to Wilson Y.C.
Tuscarora Yacht Club
Nearby Twelve Mile Creek
Nelson Hallow Restaurant & Bar
Wilson Boat Yard Marina
Leisure time at Harbor Entrance
Leisure time at Harbor Entrance
Harbor side Art gallery
Just what it says
Patriots Statue
Town Folks
Old School House (circa 1861)
Ira Pettit: This Historical Plaque stands in front of cobblestone house #2 and was the home of the father of Private Ira Pettit of Company B, 11th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, United States Army during the War Between the States. Ira died at age 23 in Andersonville prison Sumter County, Georgia, of scurvy after capture. His personal diary was given to his Father and later published as "Diary of a Dead ManÓ
Morgan Johnson: This Historical Plaque can be found in front of cobblestone house #4 and was the home of ship captain Morgan Johnson who built his home in 1844. His ship, the "Milly Cook" caught fire and sank in Wilson Harbor. The spot is still known today as Milly Cook Cove. The anchor on the lawn is from the schooner "Franklin Pierce", which sank in 1840. The anchor was found near Wilson pier 57 years later!
Billy Sherman, the Confederate Horse from Wilson
(More Info)
Town Gnome
Daisy Barn RV Park
SUNSET ISLAND
Wilson Historical Society
Wilson Harbor WebCam
Wilson Weather
Geodetic / Nautical Chart
(wide angle)
Wilson Calendar of Events
Check weekends for fun events.
Inquiries? sandy@motuiti.com
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Wilson on the Lake
WilsonOnTheLake.com
Updated as necessary (last update - April, 2012)
by Sandy Estabrook
Detailed Village Map Detailed County Map
Large Satellite View
Large Seasonal Photos
Sunset Island
Sunset Island - western end (take fromTuscarora State Park)
Sunset on the Lake
Toronto in the Distance (telephoto)
The Niagara County Village of Wilson is a sleepy one stop-light village and farming community of little change over the last couple decades. 2008 saw its sesquicentennial. It lies on Lake Ontario 20 miles east of Niagara , 62 miles west of Rochester and 37 miles across the lake from Toronto. It's just blocks off Route 18 know as The Seaway Trail. Wilson is also the name of the township (pop 6,000 as of 2010 of which 1,200 are in the village). Sadly, it's largest employer the Pfeiffer Salad Dressing plant closed in 2009. In it's place, town folks eagerly await the opening of the Woodcock Brothers Brewery at the old Cold Storage Building located across from the flea market grounds on Lake St. (Rt. 425). They plan a restaurant, liquoir store and retail space. A Buffalo News Story is here.
In contrast to its rural farming character, by summer Wilson turns into the home of vacationers and yachtsmen. Most of the aforementioned is centered around Wilson Harbor and its numerous yacht clubs, commercial marinas, restaurants and the residences of Sunset Island. (Aerial Photo) Once maritime interests of a different variety prevailed here including boat building, fishing, farm produce distribution and in 1848 Wilson Harbor became a Port of Entry. (Info)
I started visiting Wilson in 2003 and have been vacationing every summer since. My wife grew up in Wilson and introduced me to the area with periodic visits to her folks who live on the Harbor. She also introduced me to the regions favorite sandwich - Beef on Weck. We now have our own place but remember fondly our camper at the Daisy Barn Camp Ground where we stayed and where I launched this website in 2006.
Being a boater and island hopper by nature I've always gravitated to the seaside where ever it be; in the States, Europe and of course tropical islands especially the Abacos were we visit before heading to Wilson for the summer. Wilson NY, has now become my first, first hand experience of any consequence lakeside. Ergo, the purpose of this website, which is: to pass along my impressions and falling in love with Wilson and it's environs and people. (This despite of NY politics and being an ex-NY'er having left during the reign of Cuomo the first.) The site's intended to be used as a brief guide for those first time visitors whether they arrive by land or by lake and it is updated whenever necessary.
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The village lies just a couple blocks south route 18. The harbor, is couple blocks north. Both can easily be missed traveling Route 18. The only clue are the tell-tale marina signs and Brownies Drive-In.
In addition to the villages many victorian homes lining its side streets you'll find what one might expect namely, a pharmacy, IGA market, one bank (HSBC) reminiscent of the Bonny & Clyde era, pizzeria, one gas station / convenience store, a combination lawn garden and pet shop, plus an assorted other half dozen stores. There is even a small library, however the liquor and hardware stores are now gone - is there a business opportunity here? The closest of either is about 15 miles away. There are a couple vintage bars the Hub and Jeans Bar & Grill. The latter would be my choice having a nice selection of pub fare. Just up the street is Linda Lou's a casual and popular spot for breakfast, lunch and light dinner. Finally there is the not to be overlooked, charming and historic Wilson House Inn and Restaurant. The cobblestone structure was built in 1844 for Luther Wilson, the town's namesake, and was once a men's club with a bowling alley in the basement (more on Cobblestone below). It is one of the few places one can stay in Wilson, and it's dinning room is open in winter. Although one might think it a better dish in New Orleans, be sure to try their Jambalaya. (See: Appetizing food and a heapinÕ helpinÕ of hospitality.)
For church on Sunday, there are easily a half a dozen historic churches in and around town covering all the major Christian faiths.
Wilson House Inn & Restaurant (in town)
Niagara Motorcycle Club's Wilson Rendezvous. (Click for large montage)
Throughout summer there are many annual events scheduled by the town not generally associated with a town its size. Every summer starts off with a giant flee market and fair on Memorial Day. It repeats on Labor Day weekend albeit not quite as large. There is a annual triathlon, and five K race. The Niagara County Motorcycle Club congregates for the annual Wilson rendezvous. There is an annual Wine Tasting & Fair at the end of July featuring numerous Niagara County vineyards. All events attract visitors from far and wide including Canada. A Calendar of events can be found on The Village's Website. for town wide events including neighboring villages check the towns website
Speaking of websites, The Village of Wilson as of 2010 is "HOT". Main St. (Young St.) in the Village is now a WiFi Hot Spot where towns folks and visitors can access the internet via the Village of Wilson public network.Ê At this time, service is available approximately 600 ft in all directions from the villages gas stationÊ Equipment to extend this service is scheduled for the near future too. Other hot spots can be found at the harbor which are provided by the yacht clubs and marinas.
Field Day Parade
By far the biggest event is "Field Day" held the last weekend in August to raise money for the Volunteer Fire Dept. It's Wilson's major event and a place to rub shoulders with the locals. Field Day is duplicated by many of the regions neighboring villages. In each community's Field Day, neighboring towns "contribute" bands, floats, Classic Fire Trucks etc. for their parade. Essentially Field Day is a small town carnival with Wilson's being one of the largest with mini rides for the kids, games of chance, food stands featuring local fare with a beer hall set up in the fire house accompanied by the music of a marching band. Regarding the latter, the Village of Sandborn's band reigns supreme attracting members from throughout the region. Sadly we've learned than some of Niagara Counties villages have stopped their Field Day activities with others on the cutting block. A way of life for generations, going into the history books with Wilson's still surviving. A prime organizer for such events is the WCEC (Wilson Community Enhancement Charity). For more information Click here,
Just a couple miles east of the village on Route 18 you find Wilson-Tuscarora State Park. It's right on the lake and has many offerings, not the least of which is a regionally favorite sport called Disc Golf. I have to admit, I never knew there was such a sport until first seeing it played in '06. As the name implies, it's a cross between Frisbee and Golf. It's played in wide open areas like a golf course and very popular in this region. Want to know more?
Greenwood Veterans Memorial Park
Memorial Day 2007, saw the opening of Greenwood Veterans Memorial Park. It's a short walk between the harbor's clubs and restaurants and the Village. It is truly an uplifting and spiritual spot commemorating the Wilson men and woman who contributed to their nation. For a town the size of Wilson, you wont find a lovlier memorial park. It's worth a visit. More information and pictures can be found by clicking picture.
Sunset Grill (on the 12 Mile Creek)
Wilson Boat House (on the harbor)
Wilson Harbor is where the action is. Here you'll find three Yacht Clubs, namely the exclusive Tuscarora Yacht Club (Aerial), the Island Yacht Club, and the Wilson Yacht Club,They all have some type of reciprocation with other Lake Ontario clubs. Nearby you'll find Moyer's Marina and the Sunset Bay Marina with the popular Sunset Grill, which is under new management a/o 2011, The slips of the aforementioned get crowded in the summer as they are popular stop for the cruising sailors from the US and Canada. The Harbor area is also covered by another Wi FI "Hot Spot" that covers the Boat House/Boatyard, Clark's Park, the town gazebo and lookout on Ontario St., and portions of the Wilson Pier, Tuscarora Yacht Club and Sunset Island.
Many of the harbor area homes are second homes for folks who also come from around the country and Canada. This is especially true of the exclusive enclave of SUNSET ISLAND on the Harbors north side which is primarily accessible only by boat. (There is a service road through the state park that opens only occasionally)
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In 2011 a new event took place in Wilson. Art students from the Wilson School District, teamed up with local businesses and community organizations to create the Schooling Fish Public Art Installment . The benefactors, business or individuals would in essence contract an artist to create a fish to their liking and to be placed a a point on interest or prominence. The whole story is here and for a printable walking map locating the first eight of these beautiful sculputres, click here.
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The Harbors action spot, on the east side, is The Wilson Boat House Restaurant. It is a fun spot and there's usually live music on weekends. In 2009, management changed hands including a new chef. As for cuisine and as compared to the Sunset Grill, the Boat House wins hand down. Selections range from Ahi Tuna, to Loin Lamb Chops. Three stars for the new chef. It's more expensive than others in the area and can get very noisy inside.
What might seem like part of the same establishment due to their proximity, is the separate Wilson Boatyard Marina, including a half dozen gift shops. Here is a combination I never saw - wine & ice cream store! Of course the state requires them to partition the two, so a nice wooden lattice fence is in place. The shops sales person, we found, attends to both, running back and forth through a gate in the divider. The wines featured here are all from the Niagara region and cost from $11 to $14 a bottle. After tasting quite a few we settled in on a Red table "Quaker Red Rougon" the close thing to a Chianti Classico I could find. Our second choice was this part of the world's regional favorite, Riesling. Both were from The Becker Farms Vizcarra Vineyards, They ship.
The Marina has available four rooms for rent, and not to be overlooked are the sailing and fishing charters available here. (Did you know the prized lake fish Salmon, that everybody wants to catch is stocked. None are indigenous to the lake anymore and they cant breed without their trek to the sea and back. But that's another story). The Marina also provides a complementary boat ride around the harbor (usually on weekends). The young captains work only for tips only. For Canoe or Kayak Enthusiasts who might want a "do it your self exploration" of the harbor, creek and or costal lakeside, contact Matt Frawley of Canyak CanoeÊ& Kayak Rentals at (716) 622-6585 or visit his website, He'll bring the Kayak(s) to you at a local launch site.
If fishing is your thing another alternate site you might want to check out is the Western Lake Ontario fishing guide. You might also check for information on the neighboring town of Olcott's website. A couple guides who hang their hats in Wilson at Daisy Barn during summer are Captain Roger at Papa Smurf Sportfishing, 860-480-3395 and Kelly Bob, 412-271-6636 both would be happy to run you off shore for a nice salmon or two. Still other Wilson guides that comes to mind are Dan Evans. He is at LoneWolfSportfishing.com. and finally Jack Ozyp at 941- 751-9932. All are USCG captains.
Lake vewing lookout
Across the parking lot from the Boat House is Clark's Park and pool. It's a popular family spot for cooling off during summer days. Here, barbecues (IE: Christmas in July party) are scheduled through out the summer. and movies (sched) are shown on selected evenings.
Oh, don't forget a stop at Brownies Drive-In. It's right on Route 18 between the yacht clubs and the Boat House, You cant miss it. For some local color head west on 18 to Nelson Hollow Restaurant & Bar. It is under new management as of Spring 2011. Some may remember it as Ed's Country Store. It's more a bar and restaurant serving breakfast (7am), lunch and dinner. Occasionally they have a band and even a friendly poker or eucher game. Like I said it's frequented by the locals. The bar is limited pretty much to just two brands of everything; vodka, bourbon, scotch, rum, gin, canadian etc. etc. Oh, now we hear its up for sale. We'll have to see what 2012 brings,
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When I first came to Wilson, I was taken aback with it's lovely and energetic harbor environment. Although live aboard sailors and boaters have little concern, there are few places to stay in the immediate area. Those that are, have been mentioned above. Further east and west along route 18 you'll come across other accommodations. One of these is the Lakeview Motel and Cottages. It's the newest such establishment about 7 miles west of Wilson. They consist of a motel unit and cottages. It's run by Chris Nowacki and her husband.
Fall is a beautiful time as one might expect with the leaves changing. Add to that the harbor hustle and bustle with all the boats being hauled out in preparation for the harbor freeze. It should also be mentioned, the surrounding establishments close mid fall through mid spring with the exception of the Boat House which stays open a bit later.
Due to the limited few eateries in Wilson and in my search for a restaurant of some ambiance, quality food and presentation, one has to drive about 20 minutes from Wilson to Sanborn and the Schimschack's Restaurant. It's built on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment with their tiered dining room giving each table a panoramic view of Niagara County's farm lands, orchards and vineyards below. Be sure to arrive before dark to enjoy the view. Their chef has never disappointed us. Try the rack of lamb.
For additional fine dining, your best bet would be to head west to the artsy town of Lewiston where you'll find numerous fine dining with some ethnic variety. Our favorite restaurant has been Carmelo's Coat of Arms. When last visited, the four of us concluded we would liken Carmelo's to one of the best in all of Western NY. Both the aforementioned are a worthwhile trip from Wilson, but make a reservation. For a listing of all Niagara County's lake region restaurants, click here. Or a fall 2010 listing in the Buffalo News.com.
Finally of food: Scattered about the county in neighboring villages are many "Mom & Pop" little resturants / bars. Asside from a burger, meat loaf and beef on weck, most items are fried, and what I just cant understand is why so many serve canned, sometimes frozen vegetables - this in the summer in farm country no less, Oh well......
Western New York has much to offer within 20 miles of Wilson, not the least of which is Niagara Falls. Suggestion: Approach the Falls from the north and use Robert Moses Pkwy, This will help you avoid an eyesore of a city.
Aside from The Falls, not far from Wilson is the Niagary County Wine Country Trail, the historic Erie Canal city of Lockport, state parks and forts. And don't forget a stop at the charming and picturesque Niagara River towns of Lewiston noted for with their praiseworthy Jazz Fest, Art Fest, Outdoor Concerts and more. And also Youngstown with it's must see Old Fort Niagara. And finally, to Wilson's east, on the lake, the sport fishing harborage of Olcott.
- Wilson Homes -
- Historic Cobblestone Homes -
Prior to the Civil War through in the 1800's, in Western NY, many homes were built of cobblestone. The rounded polished rock of Lake Ontario was quite plentiful along lake beaches, and a nuisance to farmers. Many of these homes have been well maintained over the years and quite a few are located here in Wilson. Most of those are on Maple Road and one that we know of, will be soon part of the US Registry of Historic Homes. Two of the homes shown here have historical residents of significance as noted on the left column. Click here for more info and a NYTimes Article A close-up of the masonry work on home #1 is here.
- Wilson Harbor Scene -
  
- Signs Along the Way -
  
PS - A funny story. I live in Sarasota, Fl. I volunteer at their community hospital on Monday and Thursdays. One day a new volunteer joined the Thursday team. The usual conversation developed "where are you from" etc. He told me he was a retired orthodontist from Lockport NY. Wow I said, I'll be spending my summer in Wilson NY a few miles away. His reply was that he will be too, on Sunset Island! Small world. (And what if he chose another day to volunteer?). Naturally we connected and became good friends.
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