Visitors to the scenic overlook at John Boyd Thacher State Park can orient themselves by looking for the historic Dutch barn directly in the valley below them. Standing since the early 1700’s, the Dutch barn was part of the original homestead of the Fryer family. The Fryers were among the earliest settlers and landowners in what is now the capital district region of New York, owning hundreds of acres between the villages of Voorheesville and Altamont.
Over time, the Fryer Farm transitioned from a diverse self-sustaining farm to a fruit orchard and was eventually dedicated to milk production. In the early 1990s, after centuries in one ownership, the remaining lands of the Fryer Farm were subdivided and sold.
After decades of lying fallow, a small portion of the original Fryer estate was revived as a farm producing maple syrup and wholesome fresh fruits and vegetables called Black Creek Farm. The farm also hosted “Meadowdale Winery” a New York State Farm Winery.