IN THE COMMUNITY > Central New York

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Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center,
Lansing Manor, Mine Kill State Park

Are you looking for a way to combine education with outdoor fun? Then plan a visit to the Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project in North Blenheim, just 40 miles southwest of Albany on the Schoharie Creek in the northern Catskill Mountains. Our power project and admission-free Visitors Center have a deliberately low profile amidst spectacular scenery, historic settings and a developed state park. Call ahead for directions, information on events and hours of operation, 800-724-0309.

Something Old, Something New

Housed in a 19th-century dairy barn, the Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center has been completely renovated as part of our power project’s 25th anniversary. State-of-the-art exhibits and interactive displays demonstrate how our power is made and how it’s used. Video and computer technology help explain the science of energy and electricity to children and adults alike.

Next to our Visitors Center, you'll find newly-renovated Lansing Manor, an early American country estate, built in 1819 by John Lansing, who represented New York as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and the state's Ratification Convention in 1788. The manor house, which was actually built for Lansing's daughter and son-in-law, Jacob Livingston Sutherland, was restored by the Power Authority in 1977. A history buff's dream come true, Lansing Manor is filled with authentic furnishings from the first half of the 19th century. The house, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is now operated by the Power Authority in cooperation with the Schoharie County Historical Society.

Feel like hiking? Then take a stroll along our 2-1/2-mile Bluebird Trail, so named because of our efforts to help restore populations of New York's state bird. The Power Authority has been recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council, a national conservation group, for its work with the Schoharie County Bluebird Society. In winter, enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on our trails.

The Bluebird Trail traverses a rollinghillside between our Visitors Center and nearby Mine Kill State Park, built by the Power Authority and operated by the Saratoga-Capital District Region of the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Its 650 acres include three swimming pools and facilities for softball, basketball, volleyball and horseshoes. Picnic grounds and hiking trails let you commune with nature. The fishing season here runs from April through September.