The grand age of steamboats on Keuka Lake began in 1835 and was vital to the development of the region. The boats carried excursionists--Victorian tourists--to the resorts and cottages that lined the lakeshore. The communities of Penn Yan, Hammondsport and Branchport that anchor the three branches of the Y-shaped lake flourished. This prosperity helped grow the area's grape and wine production that is so celebrated today. Though the last steamboats...