Mexico Point State Park facts for kids

Mexico Point State Park is a cool place to visit in New York! It's a big park, about 122 acres (0.49 square kilometers), right on the eastern side of Lake Ontario. You can find it in a town called Mexico in Oswego County. The park is also where the Little Salmon River meets Lake Ontario.

Park's Past: From Resorts to Training Camp

Long ago, even before it was a park, this land was a popular spot for summer resorts. People came here to relax and have fun as early as the mid-1800s. One famous place was the Mexico Point Club, which operated from the early 1900s until the 1950s.

Boxing Champions Trained Here

In the 1940s and early 1950s, something really interesting happened. Famous professional boxing champions, like Carmen Basilio and Joey DeJohn, used this property as a summer training camp. Imagine them getting ready for their big fights right where the park is now!

How the Park Was Created

In the early 1960s, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation bought the land. For many years, it stayed undeveloped. But local people really wanted to use the area. So, in 1992, the Town of Mexico made a deal with New York State. The town now helps run and develop the park, while the state still owns the land.

Fun Things to Do at the Park

Mexico Point State Park has lots of cool features for visitors. You can enjoy a refreshing swim at the beach on Lake Ontario. There's also a bathhouse where you can change and get ready.

Picnic Areas and Nature Trails

If you like to eat outdoors, the park has great picnic facilities. You can bring your lunch and enjoy it with friends and family. There are also nature trails where you can walk and explore the beautiful surroundings. It's a perfect place to see local plants and maybe some animals.

Casey's Cottage: A Spooky Spot?

One special building in the park is Casey's Cottage. It was first built as horse stables when the property was a resort. Later, it was changed into a manor house that looks a bit like a medieval castle. Some people say that strange things happen there, like it might be haunted! Sometimes, the park even holds special ghost tours at the cottage.

Mexico Point Boat Launch

Right across the river from the main park, there's the Mexico Point Boat Launch. This area is still managed by the state. It's about 20 acres (0.08 square kilometers) and is very popular. Around 20,000 people visit the boat launch every year to get their boats onto the water.