Jewell, New York

Jewellis ahamletinOneida County, New York,United States. It is a community in theTown of Vienna,on the northeastern corner ofOneida Lake,near the border ofOswego County.It lies on State Route 49, approximately 30 minutes from theCity of Syracuseto its west and 30 minutes to theCity of Uticaon the east.

History

The first settler is said to have been Eliphalet Jewell, who owned land there in 1814. Silas Jewell may have come about the same time. After coming to Jewell, Silas moved to Constantia for about 5 years and then came back to Jewell about 1822. Jewell was known as "West Vienna" until 1921 when the name was changed to "Jewell," in honor of the Jewell family.

Jewell was once a major town on the east–west road which parallels the Oneida Lake shoreline. In the past it was a thriving community with a store, hotel, mills, boat-building and lumber industries. A small community Church stands in the center as a testament to a time ofwatermills,farms,maplesap houses, and an older way of living. Home to the once famous Idel Wild Land (1820) and in the late 1900s a beautiful French piece-and-piece log mansion, built in the tradition of the French Fort, constructed as a testament to this waterfront community's revival.

TheNew York, Ontario & Westernrailroad used to serve towns on the north side of Oneida Lake, including Jewell. It was removed in 1957, to be turned into a recreational trail for horse andsnowmobileriders. The trail is called theOswego Recreational Trailto the west, in Oswego County, but has no name in Jewell's Oneida County.

Jewell is home to several Indian legends including an Oneida Lake Creature and a great Indian Treasure.