Utica is surrounded by several famous landmarks. The Big Frog 104 staff put together a few highlights.

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The Eagle Statue

Generations of Uticans have enjoyed the panoramic view from atop Roscoe Conkling Park, home to the iconic Eagle statue.  The Eagle has also been a favorite spot for generations of romantically inclined teenagers who have used the surrounding parking area to "watch the submarine races."

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Boehlert Center at Union Station

This ornate structure was built between 1912 and 1914.  The Boehlert Center at Union Station has been a transportation hub for a number of railroads over the past 100 years.  The center was renamed after former Congressman Sherwood Boehlert who directed substantial sums of government money into it's renovation.  It is on the National Register of historic railroad stations.

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The Stanley Theater

The Stanley Theater was built in 1928 and has served as a first run movie house, a concert hall, convention center and all purpose special event facility.  Slated for demolition in the mid 1970's as part of an urban renewal project, the building was purchased by a local arts council , and over time, restored to its original grandeur. It is on the National Register of Historic places.

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Soldiers and Sailors Monument

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The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a historic icon, located at Oneida Square in Utica. The monument sits in the center of the square, bordered by Genesee and Plant Streets.  It was originally unveiled on October 13, 1891 and dedicated to the memory of those in Oneida and Herkimer counties who fought In the Civil War. Numerous memorial services, parades and veterans’ activities take place each year at the site.  “An inscription on an upper pediment - from Oliver Wendell Holmes' "Voyage of the Good Ship Union" read: "One Flag, One Land, One Heart, One Hand, One Nation, Evermore." On the southern side of the monument is the dedicatory language: “We keep in memory the men of Utica who risked their lives to save the Union.” On the reverse side is the second part of the dedicatory inscription: "From Sumter by land and sea to Appomattox."* Currently, discussions are underway to possibly move the monument to the center of Genesee Street to be encircled by a traffic roundabout, but that has not been decided as yet.
* Credit- Oneida County Historical Society

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Tower of Hope

The “Tower of Hope” is a municipal clock tower that stands adjacent to Utica City Hall in downtown Utica. During the 1970s in his first tenure as Mayor of Utica, then Mayor Edward Hanna made national news with his unique style of governing, gaining the attention of world renown comedian Bob Hope.  Hope visited Utica and performed at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.  Later, the Mayor proposed building a clock tower dubbed “Tower of Hope” in Bob Hope’s honor.  The tower also conveyed the idea of hope for the city’s future.

Would you add something to the list?  Leave us a comment below.

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