Potsdam (New York)

Founded in 1806 and named after the orange Potsdam sandstone found in Central St. Lawrence County.

By car

Take US 11 north from Watertown or NY 56 south from Massena.

By bus

• Trailways Bus Line

  address: Market Square Mall, 22 Depot St.
  Intercity bus from Massena, Potsdam, Canton, Gouverneur, Evans Mills, Watertown and Pulaski to Syracuse. Air and rail connection at Syracuse. Onward bus connection from Syracuse to NYC.

By train

There is no Amtrak service in the region. The closest passenger rail is in Brockville (VIA) or Utica-Rome (Amtrak). The closest passenger rail to connect directly to the bus to Potsdam is in Syracuse.

By plane

There is a tiny one-runway Potsdam municipal airport which houses thirteen single-engine planes for general aviation (), but the closest scheduled Essential Air Service is in Massena (MSS) or Ogdensburg (OGS), each with two daily Cape Air flights to Albany. Massena and Ogdensburg are reachable from Canton-Potsdam by county-level commuter bus:

• St. Lawrence NYSARC

  phone: +1 315 386-2600
  address: Save-A-Lot, 200 Market St. or Wal-Mart, US Route 11
  Weekday commuter bus service to Ogdensburg, Massena (three runs daily), Canton and Morristown.

• Potsdam Taxi

  phone: +1 315 268-8868
  address: 123 Market St.

• Clarkson University

  phone: +1 315 268-6400
  address: 8 Clarkson Ave.
  Private university founded 1896, 3500 undergraduate and postgraduate students on two campuses; arts, science, business and engineering.

• SUNY Potsdam

  phone: +1 315 267-2000
  address: 44 Pierrepont Ave.
  Founded 1816 as the St. Lawrence Academy, which became the Potsdam Normal School to train teachers of music, mathematics and the arts. 4500 students, two libraries and an art gallery.

• Orchestra of Northern NY

  phone: +1 315 267-3251
  Live performances at SUNY Potsdam's Hosmer Concert Hall and around the region (Watertown, Massena).

• Potsdam Public Museum

  phone: +1 315 265-6910
  address: 2 Park St.
  Local and civil war history, archives.

• Potsdam Town and Country Club

  phone: +1 315 265-2141
  address: 6194 State Highway 56
  Golf course with restaurant (+1 315 265-1234), pro shop.
• There is a riverside state park in Colton for swimming, fishing and hiking.

• Potsdam Farmers' Market

  address: south of the Main Street parking lot
  Local produce and meats, baked goods, wine, maple syrup, flowers, crafts. Winter market 1-3PM Sat at VFW Post, 95 Market St.

• 1844 House

  phone: +1 315 268-1844
  address: 6885 US Hwy 11
  American bistro, local produce, regional cuisine.

• Becky's Place

  address: Pratt Commons, SUNY Potsdam
  Salads, pizza, baked pastas, paninis, soups and takeout items. Grill, adjacent Tim Horton's café.

• Cactus Grill and Cantina

  phone: +1 315 265-0240
  address: 11 Raymond St.
  Mexican.

• McDuff's Tavern

  phone: +1 315 261-4089
  address: 59 Market St
  Tavern in restored 1860s brick building, full menu and selection of cocktails, beers, and wines. Pool, darts, flat screen TVs. Second bar with dance floor and DJ downstairs.

Hotels and motels

• Clarkson Inn

  phone: +1 315 265-3050
  address: One Main St.
  Boutique hotel near university campuses, 40 rooms, demands credit card on check-in to charge a long list of incidental items including fee for continental breakfast. Bar/lounge, room service, wi-fi, small meeting/banquet facility, refrigerator/microwave in room, free local calls.

• Smalling Motel South

  phone: +1 315 265-0709
  address: 7518 US Highway 11
  16-room family-owned motel, non-smoking, wi-fi, refrigerators, continental breakfast included.

Bed and breakfast

• Brambles Inn

  phone: +1 315 268-0936
  address: 48 Elm St.
  Historic 1842 Greek revival house, three rooms with private bath, wi-fi, full breakfast.

• Canton (New York) — Clarkson and SUNY Potsdam have counterparts (and rivals) in Canton: St. Lawrence University and SUNY Canton
• Adirondack State Park
• Cornwall-Massena
• Prescott-Ogdensburg