Syracuse

Salt springs were discovered in central New York in 1654 and saltmaking became the region's chief industry. Syracuse was settled in the region around 1788 and the city was a major salt manufacturer until after the Civil War. Later business declined under competition. The city's location on the Erie Canal, which was opened in 1819 and the arrival of the railroad, stimulated industry.

Syracuse is the seat of Syracuse University, Le Moyne College and the State University of New York Upstate Medical Center. Cultural facilities include the Everson Museum of Fine Arts. Of interest are a salt museum and an Erie Canal museum. An annual state fair has been held there since 1841. Nearby is Hancock International Airport, the Onondaga Reservation and New York's first casino, run by the Oneidas. Recreational lakes and streams are abundant in the area. It is a port of entry and its many manufactures include air conditioners, electrical and electronic equipment, automobile and aircraft parts, chinaware, shoes, machinery and pharmaceuticals.

Accommodation and restaurants are available in town. Syracuse is on Onondaga Lake and the Barge Canal in central New York. The city is 200 km west from Albany and 460 km north from Washington D.C.