Jesuit Landing

Jesuit Landing, a Historic Location at Onondaga Lake Park 

Rediscovered Through Charity

Written by Sydney Zopff

9/22/23

This Fall, National Grid’s volunteer team unearthed one of the most memorable parts of Onondaga Lake Park. 

Jesuit Landing, a staircase located near the Butterfly Garden of Hope, was a hot spot for tourists and locals alike. It was used to access the lake’s waters and was also a great lounge spot. However, once corporations and factories started polluting the waters, the stairs became less used. Over the years they became covered in layers of natural debris until they were completely covered. 

Onondaga Lake Park is one of the most iconic and important locations in Central New York. For centuries, the lake has been a site of historical significance. From the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also known as the Six Nations, to its beaches, resorts, and amusement park lined shores, Onondaga Lake is a pillar of New York history. Jesuit Landing was built in the late 1920’s as a part of New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt’s relief plan for the high unemployment of the time. 

Onondaga Lake is the most visited park in the county, and rivals the more popular parks across all of New York State. Annually, the park draws in a visitor count of over 2-million. One National Grid volunteer, Travis Glazier, a member who used to work as the Director of the Office of Environment, suggested that for National Grid’s Week of Service, they do something in Onondaga county. 

“While working for the County, in the process of reviewing some historic photos, I came across the attached images of the Jesuit Landing, but I was not able to place the location of the steps based on the photos,” Glazier said. “There were no historic maps that showed it and it was a mystery to me where they were.” 

The lack of details about the precise location of the stairs caused a mini investigation to ensue. However, two local heroes who had known about the stairs also wanted to find them. Mother-daughter duo, Patty and Jordyn Toll, set out to find where exactly the stairs were located, and they did. It would be a long time before the National Grid team would visit the community to uncover the stairs, about five years. During that time, the Tolls would frequent the location and do their best at cleaning up the area. Glazier was notified about the location by one of the Parks Deputy Commissioners because of his previous interest in where they were. 

“I was aware that Parks did not have it in their budget to totally unearth these steps, and Patty and Jordan’s work was the extent. So, I suggested to our Project C team that we take this on as part of our Week of Service,” Glazier continued. “Everyone loved the idea and so I contacted the County Parks department and they were happy to have the help.” 

It’s obvious that the community will be appreciative of National Grid’s efforts. Jesuit Landing has already drawn in a number of visitors. This transitional time between seasons is a great opportunity to go down to the lake and enjoy the not too cold breeze from the lake. 

A lot of progress has been made in terms of depolluting the lake. As the condition of the lake continues to improve, it's evident that the lake will become more and more popular. 

This time of the year especially is a perfect time to go down and visit the lake. Fall weather is one of New York’s most known and appreciated qualities. The transition between Summer and Fall is the absolute perfect time to be venturing down to the lake. 

It’s very easy to access the stairs, as soon as you pull onto the parkway towards the mall, there is a parking lot on the left side of the Butterfly Garden. There is a beautiful location to take photos right in front of the parking lot. If you walk a little further, you end up right at the staircase. 

This is a very exciting time in history for Onondaga County. It marks the beginning of an initiative to continue improving not only the lake park, but also the lake itself. 

Overall, Jesuit landing was a significant part of Central New York history, and with its restoration, it will continue to be. Many new opportunities have become available due to its unearthing, and it started a chain reaction for even more to be made. 

A special thanks to Travis Glazier, Kimberly Spaeth, Emma Seckner, and the National Grid volunteer team for all of their help.