About... LINDEN CORNERS

Located in Columbia County, a stone's throw or two from the Hudson River, the tiny hamlet of Linden Corners was one of the first fictional towns I created, and the ideal setting for TILTING AT WINDMILLS. Lots of people have asked me where I got the name from. Having grown up in the Syracuse area, many people assumed I just lifted it from a place called "Lyndon Corners," which is really just an intersection of a town between Fayetteville and Dewitt, right there along Route 5. Truth be told, that was the furthest thing from my mind. I took Linden from nearby "Lindenwald," the home of our eighth president, Martin Van Buren, and the Corners part just seemed a natural extension of the folksy quality I wanted my town to convey. And there I had it one night, Linden Corners, a special kind of town.

There's not much to Linden Corners, population somewhere around 700. A nice diner named the Five O fills your belly, the local tavern originally called Connors' Corner take away that thirst, and if you're staying overnight, there's always the Solemn Nights Motel. But the real attraction in town is the mighty windmill which spins its magic just on the outskirts of Route 22, right there near the Sullivan farmhouse. If you're looking for the real-life counterpart, well, Linden Corners really sprung from my imagination. But to get a sense of it, you can drive along Route 22 and pass through the villages of Craryville and Hillsdale and you'll see a lot of Linden Corners right there. And don't forget to stop in for a quick meal in Craryville at a placed called "Dutch Treat," which has windmill logos adorning its outdoor signage and indoors walls. How's that for coincidence?