During the second half of the nineteenth century, steamboats, railroads and Victorian hotels were built in the region to serve tourists who traveled to view the falls.
By 1925 the hotels were failing due to a decline in tourism, and New York State began acquiring land to form a park.

J.S. Halsey built a two and a half story hotel in 1850, known variously as the Cataract Hotel or Taughannock House (or simply as Halsey's Hotel) at the Taughannock Falls Overlook.
 Visitors could reach the hotel by taking a train to Cayuga Lake, take a steamboat across the lake to Goodwin's Point, then finally board a stagecoach to reach the hotel.
The hotel site today is the location of the park visitor center and parking lot.
During the second half of the nineteenth century, steamboats, railroads and Victorian hotels were built in the region to serve tourists who traveled to view the falls. By 1925 the hotels were failing due to a decline in tourism, and New York State began acquiring land to form a park.
J.S. Halsey built a two and a half story hotel in 1850, known variously as the Cataract Hotel or Taughannock House (or simply as Halsey's Hotel) at the Taughannock Falls Overlook.  Visitors could reach the hotel by taking a train to Cayuga Lake, take a steamboat across the lake to Goodwin's Point, then finally board a stagecoach to reach the hotel. The hotel site today is the location of the park visitor center and parking lot.
Taughannock Falls State Park