Lehigh Memory Trail (Williamsville, NY)

Train Station in Williamsville, NY

The essence of a rail trail is its historical connection with a railroad past. While trains transported goods and materials to new destinations, they also carried people further from their homes. I could not help but remember this when I arrived at the Lehigh Memory Trail, a short six-tenths of a mile path in Williamsville, New York. The renovated train station bore a reminder of the allure of passenger service with a sign that reminded passengers that Williamsville was 21 miles from Niagara Falls and 441 miles to New York City. Niagara Falls was a honeymoon destination for newlyweds, especially from metropolitan area, as made famous by the song, “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” in the film 42nd Street.

Glen Falls on Elliott Creek

Despite being 46° and windy, there were plenty of people on the trail, many of whom were walking dogs. Spring was in the air, and people and canine relished the opportunity to get out and stretch their legs. It being a short trail, I walked to the center of Williamsville, which is located on New York Route 5 a road that closely parallels the New York State Thruway. Near the center of town is Glen Falls, a beautiful waterfall that once supplied energy to the town, another connection to the past. Today, Williamsville is little more than a suburb of Buffalo, but it once had a vibrant past that is often obscured by layers of traffic and conglomerate commercial interests. I visited two establishments hoping for local flavor, a coffee shop and a bakery, which both turned out to be outposts for a larger chain. The historic architecture did not translate to locality today. It was difficult to find a gathering place, other than the local library, that was truly local.