Look What I Found in Upstate New York! The Oldest Covered Shopping Mall in U.S.!

You just never know what you are going to stumble upon in Upstate New York.

This weekend my wife and I drove to Canton to see our 18-year old, Abby, who is a freshman at SUNY Canton.  We stopped for lunch in downtown Watertown.

I don't know if I ever had been there before, so we took a stroll around the square on the center part of town.  There are many lovely old buildings and restaurants.  We came upon a building called The Paddock Arcade.  It was beautiful and unusual looking.  We went inside.

The Paddock is covered with glass, creating a warm glow from the block long skylight.  There were two levels of businesses, taverns and stores in here.  I found a brass plaque on the wall.  Boy was I surprised!

The Paddock Arcade is the oldest covered shopping mall in the whole country, having been in continuous operation since 1850.  What a find.  Who would ever thought that this lovely piece of history would heve been right here in Upstate New York?

You never know.....