With so many beaches in New York, it’s tough for one to stand out. One that does have a unique twist to it is Hamlin Beach State Park. The beach was designated as a park in 1929 and gained its name the following year. Today, it is primarily known for its wonderful trails and beautiful views, but you may not know that it has an interesting history. It served as a Prisoner of War camp in World War II!

Hamlin Beach State Park is open year-round and is quite popular, welcoming more than 250,000 visitors annually. It's located on the south shore of Lake Ontario.
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The park has six miles of trails that are popular with hikers and bikers, and there are also nearby areas to snowmobile and ski in the winter.
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With more than 250 tent and RV campsites, Hamlin Beach makes for a great summer getaway! There's enough here to entertain the whole family.
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But this lovely park has a bit of a dark history. In World War II, Hamlin Beach State Park was actually used as a German Prisoner of War camp. The park housed German POWs from 1944 to 1946.
Andre Carrotflower/Wikimedia Commons
These workers were sent to nearby farms and factories to serve as a cheap source of labor.
Many of the buildings used to house the POWs were constructed years prior for a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. The CCC paid workers $1 a day to build the park and improve its facilities.
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Now, the park has a trail around the areas where the CCC/POW camp once stood. The trail offers a self-guided tour of the area that gives a lot of information about the camp.
Afia Sharin/Tripadvisor

For more information about the POW camp, download this tour guide for use on the history trail. You can find out more information about the park itself at the New York State Parks website.

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Hamlin Beach State Park, Hamlin, NY 14464, USA