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• Overview
• Administrative History
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Pennsylvania and New York Joint Boundary Commission Records

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Overview of the Records

Administrative History

The Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York was directed by a resolution of the State Senate of April 19, 1867 to examine into the condition and true location of monuments along the state's boundaries and to take action to preserve or renew them. Chapter 424 of the Laws of 1875 continued this authority, charging the Regents to cooperate with authorities from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In 1880, the Regents were given authority to appoint members to serve on a joint commission with representatives of Pennsylvania and proceed to ascertain and agree upon the location of the boundary line between the two states. This commission reached a settlement in March of 1886.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports of the commission's proceedings and activities, as well as accounts, survey records, and boundary descriptions.

Correspondence files include Regents reports, resolutions, and correspondence (1867-1877) relating to New York's southern boundary; correspondence with the State Geographical Survey of New Jersey regarding boundary monuments (1886); and letters of the New York and Pennsylvania Boundary Survey (1882-1970). There is also one folder of minutes of a joint committee meeting at Syracuse (1883); printed reports of the Pennsylvania Board for Northern and Western Boundary Commissions for 1879 and 1880, published in 1881; and a draft of an account confirming the boundary of New York and Pennsylvania (January 1888).

Also included in the records are a field book of the New York and Pennsylvania Survey, Part II (1877-1884); a diary of Pennsylvania Boundary Survey operations (1877-1885); and one volume describing monuments (1881-1885).

Fiscal records include one volume of commission accounts (1877-1880); abstracts of expenses (1883-1885); vouchers (numbers 151-155, 1885); a folder of letters and accounts (1886-1888); and various other accounts (1884-1886), including one item from the New York-New Jersey Boundary Commission (the account of the Francis Company, 1887). There is also a National Commercial Bank of Albany bank book in account with the Regents of the University for "Boundaries." The bank account shows transactions from July 11, 1879 through January 1883; the account was closed in October 1884 and the balance transferred to a general Regents account.

Related Material

A4023 Drawings of State Boundary Monuments, contains drawings and sketches of New York's southern boundary, from New York Harbor to the Allegany Hills of western New York.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

A container list is available at the repository.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.