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13 Comments

  1. Cleveland Mass Mob
    August 11, 2015 @ 8:54 am

    “…officer didn’t find the prank very amusing…”

    yeah, pro forma

  2. Cleveland Mass Mob
    August 11, 2015 @ 9:00 am

    ‘ell-o Christopher,

    There was ‘a thing’ once, which asked what is the funnest or your favorite word in English. I answered, ‘shoe’; for the sounds. Someone asked me, “Would ‘oosh’ be as funny”. Well, yes it would, save that is not generally an English word.

  3. Judy
    August 14, 2015 @ 7:56 pm

    before you put up something … peopleshould find out how this realy started… I live near the shoe trees and we were puting are shoes back in the 70’s and my father was doing the same thing in the 60’s …. SO GET THE REALLY TRUTH BEFORE PUTTING UP…. They were not the people that started it …. This is f—- bull shit…..

    • Chris
      August 14, 2015 @ 8:53 pm

      Hi Judy,

      Thanks for your comment! As you can probably tell from the site, I take historical facts pretty seriously and really like being able to share as much of the truth as objectively possible. No one was standing at the trees when I visited, so I kind of had to go by what I found published online and in books. I think you’ve helped me learn that it’s a good idea to start sharing my sources for information and I’ll try to do that in the future with posts.

      For now, I’d LOVE to hear more about your side of the history so visitors to the site can know your truth. Feel free to comment with your story. If you have photos from when your family started it that would be helpful too. Dates? Time frame? Really, anything relevant to the story.

      I would ask though that you refrain from using swear words in further comments, as I have folks of all ages and backgrounds who read the site. Many thanks! I’m looking forward to learning more!

      • Deborah
        August 15, 2015 @ 12:20 am

        I remember the shoe trees from when I was a little girl of 12 years old or so. I am now 56, so this special place has been around a long time. If “Judy” wasn’t so angry and vulgar maybe she would and could have been more helpful with the facts she could have provided to make her point instead.

        • Donna
          December 26, 2019 @ 4:20 pm

          I’m 73 and I through shoes in those trees when I was young. It was a tradition that anyone with knowledge of the trees saved their shoes until they came to Lake Ontario in the summertime to throw on the trees. I was surprised to read Ms Bane started it, because I’m sure she was no more than a “twinkle in her fathers eye” many years after the fact. But nice piece. Brought back lots of memories.

  4. Jim Lowe
    September 13, 2015 @ 5:53 pm

    Regardless of how it got started. It is a blast to do it,and even more fun when you come back after many, many years look for them find them and then reminisce over the time you did it and the ones that were with when you did. I lived in lyndonville and really love the area and the shoe tree. James Lowe

  5. Shirley
    October 23, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

    I live near this and it is really something to see. There is a saying that the Amish children go there to get shoes in the fall, but, I don’t really think so.
    That has been there a lot longer than 1986.

    • Chris Clemens
      October 23, 2017 @ 8:42 pm

      Thanks, Shirley! I had a hard time tracking down exact history because of the folklore surrounding it. Over the years, I’ve heard more and more conflicting details on the origin of the trees. You’re right though, one indisputable fact is that it is really something to see!!

  6. Lockport Locks of Love |
    July 17, 2018 @ 7:46 am

    […] far from Lockport is Lyndonville where people have been throwing their shoes up into trees for decades. In Pittsford (near Rochester) there is a tree where people stick their gum and it has […]

  7. A Gathering of Soles — Geocache of the Week – Official Blog
    November 6, 2019 @ 12:41 pm

    […] from Niagara Falls in NY exists a roadside attraction that’s toe-tally unique. It all began when Diane Bane threw nine pairs of her shoes into the trees in 1986. Rumor spread that if you tie your shoes […]

  8. Shoe Tree - East Amherst, NY | Exploring Upstate
    July 20, 2020 @ 10:12 am

    […] Shoe Trees are your thing, you may want to do a bit of research on the collection of four shoe trees in Lyndonville, about a half hour Northeast of this […]

  9. Karen Baker
    September 21, 2021 @ 9:58 pm

    On your way to the Lyndonville shoe trees, stop at Lynoaken winery and fruit stand. Lots of great wines to taste! Apples and other fruit in season, maple syrup, and a lot of other goodies. It’s on route 104.