History
5
Before Watkins Glen became a state park, it was developed as a privately owned resort. Moravalden Ells, a journalist from Elmira, promoted the gorge, which opened to the public on July 4, 1863. Ells gave the gorge's natural features descriptive names like "Rainbow Falls," "Central Cascade," and "Elfin Gorge." Many of these names are still used today. Within a decade, Watkins Glen had developed an international reputation and drew tourists from as far away as Europe.
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Watkins Glen, New York · United States
