Research

Scope and Content Note

The series consists of daily reports on the operation of Barge Canal Lock 19, located just east of Utica, New York. These reports provide unique documentation of day-to-day traffic on the canal as well as specific information on the lock itself, which was an important one on the canal system because of its strategic location. The reports were kept to meet recordkeeping and reporting requirements in administering the state's canal system.

Most of 20th century commercial traffic on the canal system was interstate, and records for locks east of Three Rivers are important in judging that traffic. West of Three Rivers, traffic had several options for direction down the Mohawk Valley. If some of the traffic was interstate, Utica was a possible termination from tidewater, and getting a lock east of there was especially important. There is scarce information extant on locks farther east than Lock 19.

Records consist primarily of daily lockage reports and station logs. Three copies of these reports were prepared: one each for the section superintendent and regional office, and one copy which stayed with the lock and which are included in the records of this series.

The records include: daily lockage reports (1932-1989); station logs (1932-1960); weekly operator's [work] force reports (few); records of rainfall and snowfall (few); records of river and climatological observations (ca. 1963-1978); and phone logs (1952 only).

A4410-10: This accretion consists of records documenting Lock 10 and the dam near it. Record types are similar to those contained in the original accession.

A4410-13: This accretion consists of daily lockage reports from Champlain Barge Canal Lock 5, 1921; Erie Lock 17, 1958; and Erie Lock 20, 1953.

A4410-15: This accretion consists of lock reports from Lock 2 (1928-1942), Lock 5C (1941-1970), Wards Island (1946-1956), and several unidentified locks (1946-1973).