7. Malone
Malone is the county seat of Franklin County with a population of about 6,000. Malone is one of New York’s northernmost communities, located about ten miles from the Canadian border. Malone was first settled in 1802, but was sacked by British troops during the War of 1812. Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of Little House on the Prairie, wrote Farmer Boy about a student who attended school in Malone named Almanzo Wilder. Also strangely, Dutch Schultz, a New York City mobster, had his tax evasion trial moved to Malone, after which he was acquitted.
Malone features many National Register of Historic Places spots, including the Paddock Building, Malone Armory, Anselm Lincoln House, and Horton Gristmill. Malone is located near Titus Mountain, a popular ski site in the North Country. The nearby Akwesasne Cultural Center Library & Museum houses a library and museum about the Mohawk Nation. Malone’s downtown provides views of the Salmon River, and restaurants include Riverside Steak & Seafood, Donovan’s Steak & Ale, and Hosler’s Family Restaurant.