Cayuga Lake

Location:   Central New York
Year:   Circa 10,000 B.C.E.

The Finger Lakes are a parallel series of long narrow longitudinal bodies of water that were created during the last Ice Age as the retreating glaciers scoured out deep rifts in the earth's surface. The hilly, wooded "Finger Lakes Region" of New York State is famed for its pastoral beauty, popular for its beautiful springtimes and glorious autumns, and notorious for its hard winters. 

Cayuga Lake is the longest of the Finger Lakes. It is just over 38 miles long, just under 2 miles wide, covers 66 sq miles, and is 180 feet deep on average. Its deepest point is 433 feet. It has one island, Frontenac, which is one of only two islands in the Finger Lakes. 

The area around Cayuga Lake is mostly agricultural, with dairying being the largest industry. Viniculture is also a crucial industry, and many of New York State's best wines come from the area. Recreational fishing is also very popular.

Ithaca, New York, the home of Cornell University, lies at the extreme southern end of Cayuga Lake.