Pine City has several parks with different amenities, alongside specific ties to local history. Draxler Park features a hill used for sledding in winter, while Chapel Park brings together a wide range of sports and picnic amenities. The area also has the history of a 19th-century church building and a mural unveiled in 2024. When planning your visit, you can start by focusing on park amenities or historical sites.
Parks with Different Features
Draxler Park is located on Dry Run Road in Pine City. Its hill is used for sledding in winter; whether this seasonal activity is possible depends on snow conditions. The park also has a playground, two pavilions, a baseball field, and a fishing pond. It combines a seasonal sledding hill with several other amenities that appeal to different interests.
Chapel Park is located at 83 Personius Road. Its amenities include garden plots, baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, picnic pavilions, and grills. If you plan to use a particular park amenity, confirm locally that it is currently available before your visit.
Roger Sterling Park on Bird Creek Road is also known by its former name, Bird Creek Park. It has a playground, a baseball field, and a picnic pavilion. This combination offers a different park experience from Chapel Park, with its wider variety of sports facilities; these amenities also differ clearly from the seasonal sledding opportunity at Draxler Park.
Garden Plots at Chapel Park
The Town of Southport offers free garden plots at Chapel Park, filled with topsoil and measuring either 4 × 12 feet or 3 × 3 feet, for growing vegetables or flowers. The two sizes differ considerably in shape and can help you decide which plot suits your own garden project. If you would like to include a plot in your plans, check current availability with the Town of Southport. Users are responsible for properly maintaining their respective plots.
Mural and Church Building
A more recent cultural history landmark is the Clara Cook mural at Chapel Park: it was officially unveiled near the softball building on September 28, 2024. The date places this event in time and distinguishes it from Pine City’s older building and settlement histories.
The church building of the First Baptist Church of Southport in Pine City was built in 1853 and dedicated by Rev. T. S. Sheardown in February 1854. The church is near the center of town. The construction year and dedication mark two successive historical milestones that can be considered as a distinct focus alongside the parks and the mural.
Pine City in Local History
A county history from 1892 describes Pine City as a settlement then called Pine Woods, with a population of 350. It places the settlement near where Dry Run Creek flows into Seeley Creek. The former name, historical population, and described location are part of this picture of the town in the 19th century. This account of the settlement’s history adds an older perspective on Pine City to the specific references to its parks and buildings.
For a stay, the parks and local history offer different points of interest: the sledding hill is seasonal, the park amenities are varied, and the historical references span the early settlement through the 2024 mural. Which of these topics you would like to explore further depends on whether you want to focus your time on park amenities, gardening, or local history.
Discover more destinations: Horseheads, Elmira.
For the regional travel overview: Chemung.
