Our Story

Meet Pam and John Miller

Pam and John Miller are one of the thirteen families who collectively own and live at Hyde Bay Colony. They take pleasure and pride in welcoming guests at their cottage, which Pam has lovingly filled for over 30 years with much of her own craftwork and folk art. They are proud parents of three grown children and loving grandparents to four grandkids who have all made happy memories at Twin Pines over the years.

About Hyde Bay Colony

Thirteen families collectively own the land and properties of Hyde Bay Colony, many of whom live in their summer cottages and enjoy their quiet lakeside life in the community of Hyde Bay, and some of whom rent so that guests may have a taste of the peace and beauty of summertime at the lake.

We all trust our guests to remember that this is a family place, and to be warm, friendly, and respectful to everyone, guest and resident alike.

There are certain rules and agreements intended to ensure everyone’s safety and collective enjoyment of the space, which you’ll find detailed on our booking page .

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History of Hyde Bay

Otsego Lake and the lands surrounding it were first inhabited and stewarded by the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk) people of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock", referring to the large boulder near the lake's outlet to the Susquehanna River, today known as "Council Rock," whose top is above the water's surface and can be seen from shore.

The area was then settled by Europeans in the late 1780s, and Hyde Bay was originally used by settlers in the 1800s and early 1900s to deliver goods from the north end of the lake (Springfield) to the south end (Cooperstown), Hyde Bay being one of three stops. At this time, commercial transportation on the lake was developed to fill in the gap between rail traffic entering from the Catskills into Cooperstown, to a railway between Albany and Buffalo, and to the Erie Canal. The last commercial steamboat went out of business in 1933.

In the twentieth century, Hyde Bay became home to Hyde Bay Camp for Boys (1927-1969), a fishing and summer camp. The creators of this camp built the boat house in the early days of the camp. More buildings (referred to as “motels”) were added in the 1950s, including this shoreline building, which we refer to still as the Candy Store (and stock with toys).

The camp was sold in 1985 to the current owners--thirteen families who own the land and cottages collectively--and became Hyde Bay Colony, a wonderful family spot to enjoy the great outdoors and all it has to offer.

And one last fun fact, if you’re a Nancy Drew Fan: published in 1972, the 49th book of the series, The Secret of Mirror Bay, features Hyde Bay!

In the story, Aunt Eloise invites Nancy and her friends to a cabin at “Mirror Bay,” in Cooperstown, to solve a case of a mysterious woman seen gliding across the water. Nancy becomes embroiled in a vacation hoax because she resembles a woman involved in the hoax.

You'll find a copy of the book in the cottage!