Most people have never even heard of Olean, New York. While the claim to fame may be the famous Cutco cutlery knives that can cut through pennies, there are other sites to see in this small-ish city. Rock City Park is one big attraction that can draw crowds in due to it’s beautiful scenery and amazing stories. In fact, Rock City Park is so popular that people get together for family picnics in it and during the summer there is always at least one wedding planned. Below is a little about what Rock City Park is – besides just a unique name.
The first question many people ask upon seeing Rock City Park is, exactly what caused a park to resemble a rock city? Well, the story behind how the park came to be is quite simple. Back in prehistoric times, Rock City Park was the ocean floor. It’s as simple as that. The water created the beautiful rock formations that have attracted thousands of viewers yearly for many, many years. There are also many people who consider Rock City Park to be the eighth wonder of the world, mainly in part due to it having the world’s largest exposure of quartz conglomerate. Any time someone sees the words “world’s largest..” it’s certain to draw a crowd. What is even more amazing is they have dated the rock to being over 320 million years old and the quartz itself at at least half a billion years old!
While it was never verified, it was also believed that at one time the Seneca Indians used Rock City as a home. Even nowadays once in a while a tourist through the many winding trails may discover a strange rock on the ground and pick it up to find a spearhead. Each rock has a specific name, such as “Signal Rock” which was believed to be used by the Senecas as, of course, a place to signal. The paths or ‘streets’ as they get called in a city are winding and lead tourists about a beautiful, scenic city of stories high rock.
Rock City Park opened in the late 1800’s, catering to many tourists from all over at the odd curiosity of this formation of rock. When it was in its newer days of tourism, there was the Bon Air Hotel and even a dance pavilion where famous bands of the day performed. At one time Rock City even was a host to an amusement park, however in time it has turned into a more scenic wonder than amusement. Indeed it is.
When you first enter the park you are standing on this large, flat surface which is a scenic overlook to the city and surrounding areas. Your first steps down into the park are rather narrow, so be sure to wear stable shoes and be in a condition to walk – for you will walk for a good three quarters of a mile around, through and beside these different formations. Each rock formation in the park has a story, such as the always scary to see “Balancing Rock” which is just that – a large, 1000 ton boulder that balances upon another rock. Of course there is also Hamburger Rock which is whimsically (and naturally) hamburger shaped. One thing tourism guides have failed to mention, though, is the stories of the oil drilling that went on within the park years ago. In fact, in one area of the park one small drill remains, wooden and broken down in time – just one sad story of what once was within this natural rock formation.
I should warn you, however, they have strict rules about climbing up on rocks – for those who may get an urge to climb. It is strictly forbidden to climb any of the formations apart from where stairs are provided.
Walking the park without rest can take around an hour if you’re in good enough shape, however many people can become absorbed in this natural beauty for hours. Thankfully the park is open for nine hours, from nine in the morning until six in the evening. This gives adventurers ample time to wander about and be amazed.
Sadly, due to the location of Olean, New York, the park is only seasonal, open from May to December. There are times during their open season that they do close, but that is only if there is bad weather – they never want to risk any harm coming to viewers.
Rock City Park also has a museum and gift shop for those who wish to bring home a little something. They even sell little bits of gold or silver in water, shirts and different beautiful rocks. Everything is reasonably priced and in the museum viewers can catch a glimpse of the past – pictures of the old days, the story of the trolley that originally brought viewers to the park and other countless goodies to make you go, “wow!
Cost varies from year to year depending, but it is extremely inexpensive to those worried. My last time there it was less than five dollars a person and those under five were considered free. Be sure to bring a camera if you choose to come, all are welcome to take in this magnificent site. Let me tell you from personal experience, it is something everyone should get to see at least once in their life.
