This Haunted New York Lake is Only an Hour from Binghamton

The village of Cazenovia, New York is just over an hour's drive up I-81 and NY Highway 20. According to Wikipedia, it was named after Theophile Cazenove, the Agent General of the Holland Land Company.

Until recently, Cazenovia was also the home of Cazenovia College, which unfortunately closed in June of 2023 due to financial challenges. I've only been to this village once for a wedding, but from what I saw, it is a beautiful village.

The Village of Cazenovia also sits on the south end of Cazenovia Lake which extends for just under four miles. The lake is a perfect getaway for boating, swimming, and fishing, featuring largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, walleye, black crappie, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill, rock bass, yellow perch, white sucker, and brown bullhead, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

And here is something interesting about that lake. according to the New York Haunted Houses website, the lake has ghost stories. We are used to ghost stories about houses, businesses, castles, hotels, etc, but a lake?

New York Haunted Houses notes that Cazenovia Lake is said to be haunted by not one, but several ghosts. One story tells of a boy who died in a boat accident in the 19th century, and as a ghost, calls out to boaters on the lake for help.

The website also recounts the story of a female ghost walking around the shores of Cazenovia Lake whose lover ran off with another person. And there is the story of a ghost who once was an Onondaga Princess. She and her husband lost their lives in a boating accident and from time to time it is rumored that the sounds of a wailing woman can be heard on the lake.

For more details on these ghostly stories and more, visit the New York Haunted Houses website.

If that's not enough ghosts in Cazenovia for you, according to the Haunted History Trail of New York State website, at the Brae Loch Inn, there have been reports of a ghostly girl in a long blue dress offering to show guests to their room, along with other sightings at the Inn.

The Brae Loch Inn even offers ghostly getaway packages.