The Erie Canal once ran through small but charming Clinton Square, named for DeWitt Clinton, the New York governor instrumental in bringing the canal to Syracuse. In the 19th century, this was the busiest place in all of Syracuse, home to both the city’s main marketplace and a passenger port. Enjoy the park that was built as a space for civic entertainment after the closure of the canal.
Let your kids play in the fountain during summer or lace up your skates and take a spin on the ice in colder months. Stroll down the esplanade to the 1910 Soldiers and Sailors Monument, originally erected for Onondaga County’s Civil War veterans but now honoring all U.S. military personnel.
Learn about the Jerry Rescue at a monument on the western side, commemorating the 1851 event of Syracuse residents saving fugitive slaves from being returned to the South. Stroll around the edge and admire the architecture that gives the square its unique charm.
Clinton Square is Syracuse’s most popular spot for food festivals, concerts and gatherings. Fill your reusable bag with fresh New York produce on Tuesdays in the summer, when local farmers come in for the farmers market. Enjoy the quirky Bacon Festival. Clinton Square is also the perfect place to relax on your own or with friends bring a picnic to one of the tables and cast your mind back to the days of the Erie Canal, when this area was packed with boats and sailors.
Find Clinton Square in the historic center of downtown Syracuse, a few minutes’ walk from Armory Square and a 10-minute drive from Syracuse Airport. A bus service connects Clinton Square to Syracuse University. Free street parking and metered parking structures are available nearby. The ice rink is open daily from the end of November to March, with skate rentals and variable admission prices.
There’s always something going on in Clinton Square, especially in summer, so check out the local papers or stroll down to see what’s happening.
