Skaneateles (/ˌskæniˈætləs/ SKAN-ee-AT-ləs, locally /ˌskɪn-/ SKIN-)[4] is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States.

The town is on the western border of the county and includes a village, also named Skaneateles.

In 1843, the Skaneateles Community acquired and successfully operated a large farm and developed small industries.

It ultimately failed because of internal difficulties, as well as external concern about its unorthodox social practices.

Although the larger city of Syracuse nearby was known nationally as a center of abolition and Underground Railroad activity, Skaneateles was said (by Beauchamp, an early historian) to have "eclipsed Syracuse as an anti-slavery town."

On July 4, 1876, resident John Dodgson Barrow delivered the centennial address in Skaneateles recounting the history of the village up to that time.