Western's Delta Lake has hidden history and many ways to spend a day
The town of Western has most of Delta Lake within its borders. The lake was once not a lake but a small village known as Delta. The construction of the Barge Canal in the early 1900s required a dam and a reservoir to regulate it, and New York voters selected Delta as the location of the reservoir. Close to 300 buildings, including 70 homes, were destroyed in the process. Remnants of the town, including two cemeteries, now sit at the bottom of the lake.
The lake is a popular day trip and camping destination today, as many Western residents live a few miles away in Westernville. “It’s rural, and everybody knows everybody,” says Kayla Tanner, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Sexton Real Estate and a Westernville resident. “It’s relatively quiet. I think there are more cows than people.” There’s more to the town than a lake, however. State forests to the north are popular hunting grounds, and the city of Rome is nearby, giving residents several shopping and dining options.
Boating, fishing, tubing, skiing and hunting are popular in the region
Delta Lake State Park has several hiking trails, picnic areas, and a boat launch. “There are boats on the water all summer long,” Tanner says. Anglers can fish for trout, pike and bass from its shores, and its cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing areas open in the winter. The Woods Valley Ski Area has offered downhill skiing opportunities since 1964. Nearby Lee Town Park features baseball diamonds, soccer fields and reservable pavilions.
Just north of the community is Pixley Falls State Park, best known for its 50-foot waterfall and nature trail. Hunting is allowed on the park's eastern side; white-tailed deer season runs in the fall and winter, while turkey season is in the spring and fall. Several other state forests are in the surrounding area, and Tanner says Big Brook is a popular tubing spot. Hunter Hack Farm provides horseback riding lessons and carriage rides. Westernville Presbyterian Church is the only church in town.
Farmhouses and ranch-style homes can have large lots
Several homes sit off New York State Route 46 in hamlets like Westernville, while others are spread through the region’s wilderness. Hills, woods and farmland surround its more minor residential roads, which are usually well-paved but narrow and often without lane lines. Farmhouses, ranch-style homes and traditional properties are among the styles available and can have large lots. The median sale price is around $350,000, slightly below the national median, though community homes tend to be more expensive than elsewhere in the Utica Metro Area. Yards vary with lot size, but they typically feature small or medium bushes and a few trees.
The Ring of Lights and Fireworks event helps the area burn bright
The annual Ring of Lights and Fireworks event, held each summer, sees many homeowners on Delta Lake light torches or bonfires, creating a circle. A fireworks display follows the ceremony. The public can watch it from Delta Lake State Park or on a boat.
Casual eateries close to home, with more options in Rome
The Halfway House opened as a trading post in 1858, but is now an eatery with a simple menu of burgers and sandwiches. West of the Delta Reservoir, The Back Nine serves elevated sports bar food in a rustic space. In Rome, Nicky Doodles has specialty burgers and several kinds of homemade ice cream, though it closes between October and March. Mitsuba is known for its sushi. The community does not have any grocery stores of its own. Rome has Aldi, Hannaford and Market 32 locations as well as Dollar General and Walmart. To the north, Boonville has a Tops market. Westernville is also home to multiple Christmas tree farms.
The community is served by three school districts
Several school districts serve the area. Families to the southwest are zoned for the Rome City School District, which earns a C-plus Niche grade. The Holland Patent Central School District serves the central and southeast parts of the region and holds a B score. Holland Patent High School earns an individual B grade and unveiled a new multisport turf field in 2025. To the north, the Adirondack Central School District receives a C rating.
Access to New York State Route 46 and Syracuse Hancock International
New York State Route 46 snakes through the community, while State Route 26 is a few miles west. Westernville is less than 10 miles from Downtown Rome and nearly 50 miles from Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Rome Health Hospital has about 130 acute care beds. Tanner says the community typically receives heavy snowfall each winter. “Make sure you have a shovel and salt,” Tanner says.
