Some Central New York Towns That Are “World Famous”

CJ, our afternoon drive deejay, recently congratulated a prize winner from Norway on the phone and there was a joke about whether that was in Scandinavia or New York State.

Thanks to the Internet and our free Lite 98.7 app, we may very well have listeners halfway around the globe, but that particular winner lives here. And Norway is just one of many New York towns, villages, or hamlets in our area sharing a name with a foreign country.

Join us for a quick spin "around the world" right here in our own backyard, and check out some reasons why our spots should be "world-famous" in their own right.

Norway

Once larger, Norway was broken up into separate towns, including Newport, Webb, and Russia. In the most recent census (2010) Norway had 762 residents. It's about 21 miles from Utica.

Russia

The western edge of this town of 2,587 in Herkimer County borders Oneida County and is just 18 miles from Utica. Don't miss Hinckley Reservoir, which made our list of Top 5 Swimming Spots Near Utica, just three miles from Russia.

Poland

The village of 508 got its name, because it is adjacent to and southwest of Russia, just like the European country. Poland Central Schools athletic teams are known as the "Tornadoes," something we're keeping a close eye on this summer in our area. It's less than 15 miles from Utica.

Denmark

The town of almost 3,000 located in North Central New York, east of Watertown, and about 65 miles from Utica, is named after the European kingdom. The most famous native of Denmark is Chester Hazen, who in the mid-1800s founded the first cheese factory in the state of Wisconsin.

Copenhagen

The village is located in the town of Denmark (of course), is roughly 67 miles from Utica, and had 801 residents in the last census. Copenhagen and Denmark are both within the Tug Hill region, which offers fantastic cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

It would take only an afternoon to take this global tour in New York State. If you've been to these villages and towns, we'd love to hear your impressions of them--and tell us what attractions or famous haunts we missed.