by Sara DeAngelis
I’ve explored the dynamic, interconnected nature of freshwater, which serves as the inspiration for the work of the Saunders Finger Lakes Museum (SFLM) in this three-part series. Water’s endless journey – falling from the sky, flowing through streams, collecting in lakes – makes it a potent connector of natural systems.
Inland waters, including our lakes, streams and wetlands, are biologically rich; collectively they have greater biodiversity than the earth’s oceans. Consider this: all the water that will ever exist on our planet is here now. We are its stewards. Daily, we witness the endless journey of freshwater, cycling from ground to sky – sometimes in the form of pounding rain, sometimes as glittering snow. Francis of Assisi is credited with saying, “Water is the mirror of nature.” Following water’s journey and considering its vitality and value connects us to this region, our past and its abundant beauty.
Freshwater is the inspiration for the Saunders Finger Lakes Museum, as these living waters are a part of the region’s rich legacy, marked by an abundance of character worth celebrating. Waves of people have cared for and preserved this landscape while joyfully embracing the offerings of each season. Its human stories span from the Haudenosaunee people, who have lived here since the last ice age, to more recent arrivals who now call the area home. Some people visit for a short time but grow to love its transcendent spirit. The Finger Lakes’ magic lies in its complex layers: diverse people, rich stories, scenic majesty and the tranquil yet dynamic fresh waters that reflect the wonder of our world. As a year-round gathering place, the new museum’s enchanting and artful new exhibits will inspire visitors.
While it connects places, water also prompts an appreciation for our region’s beauty by reflecting the world around us, especially the way autumn colors ignite the landscape. As day lengths shorten, nature begins its spectacular transformation from the exuberance of summer to the abundance of fall. Summer’s frenetic energy yields to autumn’s more measured pace. People savor the season’s visual grandeur and iconic events, from festivals to woodland hikes and lake activities. Year-round residents savor this transition, reconnecting with traditions and preparing for change. Soon enough, it will be winter, with its ethereal beauty, snow and ice-based recreation and harsh challenges. The smell of fresh snow and the tinkling sound of ice moved by wind and waves will replace this season’s warmer sensory delights.
Fall’s wild tapestry across fields, forests and lakes thrums with life. Fish dart through clear waters while dragonflies weave aerial patterns above. Butterflies dance between blooms, their fragility a poignant reminder of the ephemerality and fragility inherent in our natural systems. Forests, in their slow and colorful transformation, seem hushed; yet a rich network of tree root systems connects them to soil microbes through subterranean fungal highways, storing away sun-spun sugars for the future. The natural world pulses with constant motion.
Autumn’s arrival, signaled by crisp mornings jeweled with dew or frost, transforms orb-weaving spider webs into crystal lacework. Earth’s tilt triggers the retreat of daylight, and the ecosystems respond. Squirrels and foxes store resources in hidden caches. Organisms prepare by migrating, finding winter burrows and dens or leaving offspring – survival strategies that will ensure spring’s renewal. All around us, nature’s slow reclamation begins, releasing the distinctive, sweet smell of autumn’s earthiness.
Looking out across the SFLM’s 13-acre grounds and walking on the adjacent Townsend-Grady Wildlife Preserve, you get a sense of the region’s incredible biodiversity. Once completed, the museum will overlook this living laboratory. Inside, new exhibits and interactive experiences will illustrate how humans and nature are interconnected by sharing stories of those who call these waters and lands home. Indoor and outdoor programs will convey the vibrancy of the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
My work with the museum, helping to craft the exhibit’s interaction and content, continues to reveal the region’s compelling collection of stories across time. Freshwater links everything. Today, we think of kayaking, sailing and motorboats threading their way through rivers, lakes and canals. Looking at the past, boat transportation transformed this region, carrying its bounty – fruits, vegetables and dairy – to urban centers. Packet boats traversed New York’s waterways, connecting the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes and the Hudson River. When railroads arrived, steamboats shifted from cargo to pleasure, sparking the legendary Keuka Lake Steamboat Wars of the 1880s.
Unlike in the past, predictable seasons are becoming increasingly erratic, making traditional winter activities such as ice fishing and snowshoeing more challenging. Climate disruption poses a threat to water-centered recreation. Efforts, supported by both locals and visitors, are increasingly being made to protect waterways against mounting threats.
As we gather for fall and winter festivals and events, it’s time to think about collective transformative potential. When it opens, the new museum will function as a community gathering space, providing a forum for deepening people’s understanding of the region’s rich natural and cultural history, as well as the connections between the lakes and the surrounding lands. It will be a place to celebrate freshwater as the gleaming thread connecting us all.
Sara DeAngelis is an exhibition and experience design consultant specializing in crafting compelling narratives for cultural institutions. A Fulbright Specialist and graduate-level educator on exhibition history, she brings scholarly expertise to her work with museums and nonprofits. Drawing on her training as a naturalist, she has spent the past decade studying ecological landscape principles and advocating for native plant gardens.
