Panama Rocks Owners
Putting Park Up For Sale
After Nearly 30 Years
By Nick Dean
@post-journal.com
Panama Rocks will open
Saturday, May 10 for its
30th and possibly last
season under the
ownership of Craig and
Sandra Weston.
‘‘It’s been a labor of
love,’’ Weston said
Thursday about running
the park with his wife.
Looking to spend time
away from life in the
city of Buffalo, the
Westons purchased
property in Panama in
1973. A short few years
later, the couple became
involved with Panama
Rocks — taking it over
in April 1979. Though
they will continue to
maintain and operate the
park, the Westons
recently listed Panama
Rocks with Sharon
Soehnlein of Century 21.
‘‘I don’t know when it
will sell, so we may be
running it for a couple
of years,’’ Weston said.
‘‘I don’t know what
particularly prompted
it, but we’ve decided to
sell it. And as I said,
it has been a labor of
love. My kids were born
and raised here, so
they’re having it harder
than me.’’
Previously part of a
farm called the Rock
Farm, the Panama
property was purchased
and established as a
park by George Hubbard
in 1885. A detailed
history of the park and
its several owners
through the
turn-of-the-century,
World War II, 1960s and
on to today can be found
online at
www.panamarocks.com.
According to Weston, the
site was created as a
private park only three
years before New York’s
first state park was
established. Had the
park not been created in
1885 or maintained
privately throughout the
years, the owners
believe New York likely
would have made it into
a state park.
Living separately from
the site for eight
years, the Westons sold
their home in 1987 and
moved into the original
farmhouse section of the
park’s old hotel
building. With money
from the sale of their
property, the Westons
renovated and winterized
the farmhouse — where
they have lived for the
last 21 years.
Ask Weston about life on
site in the last two
decades and he will tell
you of the many upkeep
projects it has taken to
preserve the park and
its buildings. For three
years, the Westons, with
help of the Amish,
rebuilt 80 percent of
the hotel’s foundation.
Since then, a new front
porch has been added and
the entire building has
been sided.
‘‘The building is in
better shape than
ever,’’ Weston said.
‘‘Except for the
interior of the front,
which is just like it
was in the 1950s. ... I
think we’ve developed it
more than anyone. Of
course, once we
purchased it, that was
it. We really couldn’t
do anything else. We had
to preserve it.’’
According to its Web
site, Panama Rocks is 12
acres of an erupted
paleozoic seashore
created more than 300
million years ago. A
ridge of quartz
conglomerate rock carved
and shaped by a glacier
sits amid an ancient
forest. Recognized by
the Sierra Club Guide to
the Ancient Forests of
the Northeast, the
forest at Panama Rocks
features 200 to
300-year-old Hemlocks
and seven other species
of venerable trees —
including beech, black
cherry, red maple and
sugar maple. According
to Weston, the way that
the tree roots grow down
around the rocks adds a
special uniqueness and
character to the forest.
More so than anything
else, Weston names the
freedom that Panama
Rocks offers as one of
its greatest
attractions. Patrons are
permitted to explore
off-trail and climb
rocks at there own risk.
There are no railings
anywhere, just the woods
and rocks. The trail is
rough in places, with
the upper trail passing
near the top of cliffs
and deep crevices. All
adults are required to
sign a waiver of
liability before
entering the scenic rock
area.
Panama Rock’s 2008
season runs from May 10
through Oct. 19. The
park is open daily from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prices
vary for children,
adults, students and
senior citizens. A list
of prices and other
information including
park rules can be found
online at
www.panamarocks.com. |
