Upstate New York State can claim a number of some of the oddest, yet fascinating, records in the Northeast.

Let me explain.

Our region is known for its covered bridges, heavy snowfall, beautiful lakes and rivers, and historic, even Colonial-era, buildings.  And all of them pop up on this Guinness-like list of records for the history books.

Why is the tallest totem pole in the state on the front lawn of a museum in Cooperstown?  What is the story behind the world's largest pancake griddle still on display in the Finger Lakes?  And how odd is that four ton dog staring down at everybody from the roof of a warehouse in Albany?

And, unless you already know about it or have even seen it, I think you will enjoy the tale of the two-story brick outhouse located in tiny Phelps, New York the most.  Odd? Yes!  Still, it is very cool in a strange way.  In fact, it may be the only two story brick out house in the whole United States.

These, and many others, have fun stories behind them and they are all listed in the gallery below.

If you know of a unique or odd record-setting piece of information about Upstate New York we encourage you to share it with us and our readers.

Amazing Upstate New York.  Something around every corner1

16 of New York's Biggest, Widest, Oldest, Tallest and Weirdest Record Holders

While this list is not exactly the Guinness Book of World Records material, it does illustrate the Upstate New York can hold a candle to any place when it comes to setting unique records.

Here is a list of 16 of the biggest, shorted, oddest, longest, one-of-a-kindest, deepest, and weirdest factoids about our region.

If nothing else, this list will make a great conversation starter at your next get-together!

Read On! These Upstate Bars are 100, 150, and More Than 200 Years Old!

I like a bar or a tavern as much as the next person. But my enjoyment of the outing is heightened greatly if the pub has some interesting history to it. And it you are a century old, or even two centuries old, well, that bar will definitely have some great DNA behind it. Here is a list of a 14 great taverns, scattered all over Upstate New York, that have been serving up cold brews for a very long time, some more than 200 years. Obviously this list could be a lot longer, and we will revisit it in the future, but this list should adequately "wet your whistle." Have you been to any of these historic places?

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