Sightings are reported in the late 1800’s, again in 1915, and possible glimpses ever since…
By Clayton Hulin, photo from the Keuka Lake Association
Keuka Lake has always carried a certain prestige… shimmering waters framed by vineyard-covered slopes, lakeside estates that sparkle at sunset, and a legacy of refined recreation dating back more than a century. But beneath that polished surface lies a story that’s as winding as the lake’s famous Y-shape… the legend of the Crooked Lake Serpent.
Local whispers trace the first sightings back to the late 1800s, when anglers swore they saw a long, snake-like creature cutting through the glassy water. The Penn Yan Democrat and other papers of the day reported it with a mixture of fascination and good-natured skepticism. Some claimed it was a giant sturgeon. Others spoke of an unidentifiable shadow, gliding just beneath the surface, too fast to be a log and too smooth to be a boat’s wake.
In 1915, the tale surfaced again. According to Yates County’s own historical notes, residents spotted something unusual; long, dark, and moving with a slow, deliberate grace. The witnesses? Not the kind to be taken in by fish stories. These were summer homeowners and respected locals, whose reputations were as polished as their front verandas.
What makes the Keuka serpent unique is how it straddles two worlds. On one hand, it’s a wink between neighbors, an inside joke for those who “summer on the lake.” On the other hand, it’s a story that binds Keuka to its sister lakes in the Finger Lakes chain, especially Seneca, which has its own monster legend, “Old Greeny.” Before the Crooked Lake Canal was closed in 1877, one could imagine a restless creature traveling between lakes, slipping unseen past canal locks under moonlight.
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Of course, the modern boater is more likely to spot a Heron taking flight or a sailboat leaning into the wind than a prehistoric serpent. But legends have a way of lingering, especially in places where the water is deep, the nights are still, and the lake seems to hold its breath.
And maybe that’s the real charm of Keuka, where mystery lives comfortably alongside elegance. Whether you believe in the Crooked Lake Serpent or not, the story is as much a part of the lake’s heritage as its wineries, its regattas, and its generations of families who gather here year after year.
So, as you watch the sun sink behind Bluff Point and the water turns to liquid gold, keep one eye on the ripples. After all, the serpent’s not in any hurry. And neither are we.
Clay Hulin is a creative writer from Western New York who enjoys writing about fun subjects like rock n roll and the folklore of the Crooked Lake Serpent. You can reach him anytime, claymation_88@yahoo.com
Life in the Finger Lakes. (n.d.). The story behind each of the eleven Finger Lakes, part 2. Retrieved August 11, 2025, from https://www.lifeinthefingerlakes.com/the-story-behind-each-of-the-eleven-finger-lakes-part-2
New York Almanack. (2022, July 7). Silver Lake Sea Serpent: Hoax or reality? Retrieved August 11, 2025, from https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2022/07/silver-lake-sea-serpent-hoax-or-reality
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, February 2). Seneca Lake (New York). In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_Lake_(New_York)
