Silverlaken Estate & Glampground

Located on Silver Lake in Wyoming County NY, Silverlaken offers 5 acres of unique accommodations and lake-focused, eco-friendly activities.

RENT 1 UNIT OR THE ENTIRE ESTATE!

Silverlaken is an ideal option for groups wishing to stay together in a private setting at a single location (wedding guests, college reunions, families, church groups, business functions…).

The rental units at Silverlaken are flexible in that our fixed buildings are designed for year-round accommodations, yet we have been granted the only permit on Silver Lake to set up a limited number of luxury “glamping tents” on a semi-permanent basis as overflow units during the peak months. These tents are “canvas cabins” with access to running water, heating/cooling and flush toilets connected to the sewer system!

The 5-acre site is large enough to comfortably host multiple guests, as the professionally designed landscaping, with heavy emphasis on green buffer zones, fosters a sense of privacy among the rental units and within the neighborhood.

HISTORY OF THE SILVERLAKEN ESTATE

In the mid/late 1800's, Perry was a thriving mill town and Silver Lake was a popular tourist destination for church retreats and private camps. Some of the signs decorating the Silverlaken lodge today were found in the attic and date back to that period.

The water running down the outlet of Silver Lake provided the hydropower for a dozen textile mills in what is now the Perry main street. What is now the Silverlaken Lodge was the summer retreat of the Traber family, who owned a large mill in town. Long before air conditioning, wealthy families escaped the heat by coming to the shores of the lake.

The Trabers placed a decorative mill stone on the front lawn over a hundred years ago. It’s still there in the same place! The massive evergreens and sycamore trees were planned back in that era, and are still standing proud well over 150 years later. What is now the utility room was a “sleeping porch”. ½ of the bedroom was indoors and the rest on the porch. When it was hot, the bed was pushed out on the deck!

By the time of the First World War, hydropower was replaced by the engine and the mills began to close up. The property changed hands a few times and fell into a state of disrepair for decades.

Silverlaken’s current owner, Mike Bellamy, spent a lot of time on the lake as his parents founded the local marina in 1979.  He often thought about fixing up the “old Traber estate”. After a 20-year career in Asia, Mike retired in 2016 , returned to Silver Lake and purchased the property. With the help of his wife- Anita, and local contractors, 2 years were spent restoring the main buildings. In 2018, rental units were added and the property was opened to guests wishing to enjoy Silver Lake and Letchworth park.  Grand opening Spring 2019.

LEGEND OF THE SILVER LAKE SEA SERPENT

On the night of July 13, 1855 , in Perry, New York, two boys and a few men were fishing from a boat on Silver Lake. After several hours of fishing, the men grew tired and wanted to head in for the day. Besides, it was getting late and the sun was going to set.  As they began to row the boat in, each passenger watched as a nearby floating log began to move, dipping in and out of the water. Then without notice, the beast leaped from the water, showing itself in all its glory before splashing back into the murky water and disappearing.

The men and boys who were struck with awe rushed back to shore and alerted the local authorities. They had witnessed a massive, scaly, dinosaur like creature. The legend of the Silver Lake Sea Serpent was born.

It didn’t take long for word to spread, and people came from far and wide to get a chance to search for the monster. Several expeditions were launched, including a whale-man with a harpoon, a crazed society of men armed with guns, and even companies who spent thousands on employees bent on capturing the creature.

Sadly, nothing was ever found until…

In 1857, a fire broke out at Artemus B. Walker’s hotel on the lake. Within the burned wreckage of the hotel was found a serpent like wire frame and some green mesh. Mr. Walker confessed that he had created the monster to attract popularity to the town and its hotels.

To this day, the locals of Silver Lake and Perry celebrate the story with boat parades and festivals.