Chittenango, New York: All Things Oz Museum

I recently visited this town because I was a fan of the Oz series growing up, and I read about it on your website as being the hometown of L. Frank Baum. I was surprised to find in the town the L. Frank Baum Oz Museum and I thought you should know that it exists. It is a small museum (they are expanding into the empty store next door as they have much more memorabilia in storage that they don't have the space to display currently), but if you are a fan of the book(s), then you must make the extra effort to visit it. On the day we went to the town we were disappointed to find the museum closed. When I casually mentioned this to the proprietor of a nearby store, he called up Bill, who runs the museum, who promptly jumped in the shower and opened it for my friend and I! It was a real treat to have him take us through what is clearly a labor of love for him and to hear about the parade and the town.

When you enter Chittenango you'll see a few roadside businesses and then a lot of open space, keep driving on hiway 5 until you get to the little town, you didn't pass it!

The tiny town of Chittenango, NY, once an Erie canal hamlet, is the home of L. Frank Baum, of "Wizard of Oz" fame. The sidewalks of the town have actual yellow brick roads inlaid into them, so it is possible to follow the yellow brick road to Auntie Em's and other Oz-themed businesses. An annual highlight is a truly wonderful parade which traditionally includes some of the few surviving Munchkins.

I live in the next town over and visited Chittenango last week, and can assure you that the yellow brick roads are present, though dingy and covered with snow and ice.