Research


New York State Engineer and Surveyor Sectional Maps of the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego Canals


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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
This series of maps (commonly referred to as "Schillner Maps") depict land along the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego canals acquired by the state. Each map provides detailed information on state owned property, and shows the locations of the 1825 canal alignment and related structures such as locks, slips, dams, bridges, and roads which have since been obliterated. In addition they show municipal boundaries, bodies of water, property lines, names of owners, streets, railroad lines, businesses, and civic landmarks.
Creator:
Title:
Sectional maps of the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego Canals
Quantity:

92.4 cubic feet

71 maps

Inclusive Dates:
1896
Series Number:
B0253

Arrangement

Arranged by canal and therein geographically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of 71 manuscript maps depicting land along the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego canals acquired by the state for canal purposes up to 1896. They are apparently the product of surveys conducted by the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor in response to Chapter 79 of the Laws of 1895, which appropriated nine million dollars, contingent upon the approval of the electorate in November of that year, for the improvement of the canals.

The law required the State Engineer and Surveyor to prepare surveys and cost estimates for the deepening of the Erie and Oswego canals to nine feet, deepening the Champlain Canal to seven feet, and for lengthening some Erie and Oswego locks. The purpose of the surveys was to help determine the best method of accomplishing the improvement, and the cost estimates were based on them.

Since the estimates were based on the surveys and the judgments of the various engineers in charge, it is easy to view these maps as containing information relevant to decision-making. Facts such as the amount of additional water required, possible disturbance of the silted canal bottom, elevation of important pre-existing structures (culverts, aqueducts, locks, bridges) and the impact of altering canal banks on shipping facilities and city establishments would significantly affect cost. Whatever the original intent, it is important to note that these maps contain only selected information from the even more detailed surveys.

Each sectional map provides detailed information on state owned property, depicted as the area between two solid blue lines. The maps are especially important because they show, within dotted blue lines, the locations of the 1825 canal alignment and the related structures which had since been obliterated, such as locks, slips, dams, bridges, and roads. In addition they show: city, town and county lines; streams, rivers, bodies of water and islands; property lines, along with names of owners and sometimes acreage of land; and streets, railroad lines, businesses and civic landmarks (ice companies, mills, cemeteries, etc.).

The maps are commonly referred to as the "Schillner Maps" after George L. Schillner, who apparently supervised their execution in 1896. The total 454 mile length of the canals was surveyed beginning in January of 1896. This included 38 miles of the Oswego Canal, 65 miles of the Champlain Canal, and 315 miles of the Erie Canal represented in these maps.

Most of the 71 rolled sheets are divided into four sections. Each section varies in size from 30 cm to 60 cm in height x 176 cm in length within their respective neat lines. Overall sheet size is relatively uniform at 234 x 183 cm.

Maps are hand drawn in ink with color. Additional information, sometimes including redrawn courses of canals, is recorded in pencil. Although there is no legend, standard colors are present for water (blue wash), inner side of the tow path (red), and state owned land (blue). There is no scale given but figures clearly mark canal frontage and survey measurements by number of chains. Standard measure is one chain equal to 66 feet; figures given are multiples of that standard.

Maps cover three distinct areas. Within those groups each map has a consecutive roll number, printed on the back ends. There are 53 maps of the Erie Canal (arranged from Albany west to Buffalo Harbor); 10 maps of the Champlain Canal (Watervliet north to Whitehall); and 8 maps of the Oswego Canal (Salina north to Oswego).

Related Material

B0730 Engineers' Field Books Pertaining to the Construction of the State's Canal System, contains some of the surveys upon which these maps were based.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Reports with map data for each section, generated by an in-house database, are available.

Custodial History

The original of Map No. 3, Erie Canal section, was missing at time of accession. A photocopy of a tracing of it is available instead.

Access Restrictions

Restricted: Maps are fragile and may not be photocopied because of size. Use with supervision of archivist.

Access Terms

Personal Name(s):
Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Genre(s):
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Detailed Description

Dates Contents Folder

Accretion: B0253-83
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 1 C1
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 2 C2
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 3 C3
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 4 C4
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 5 C5
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 6 C6
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 7 C7
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 8 C8
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 9 C9
circa 1896 Champlain Canal Map 10 C10
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 1 O1
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 2 O2
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 3 O3
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 4 O4
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 5 O5
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 6 O6
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 1 E1
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 2 E2
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 3 E3
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 7 O7
circa 1896 Oswego Canal Map 8 O8
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 4 E4
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 5 E5
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 6 E6
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 7 E7
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 8 E8
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 9 E9
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 10 E10
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 11 E11
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 12 E12
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 13 E13
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 14 E14
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 15 E15
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 16 E16
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 17 E17
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 18 E18
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 19 E19
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 20 E20
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 21 E21
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 22 E22
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 23 E23
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 24 E24
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 25 E25
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 26 E26
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 27 E27
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 28 E28
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 29 E29
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 30 E30
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 31 E31
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 32 E32
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 33 E33
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 34 E34
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 35 E35
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 36 E36
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 37 E37
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 38 E38
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 39 E39
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 40 E40
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 41 E41
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 42 E42
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 43 E43
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 44 E44
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 45 E45
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 46 E46
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 47 E47
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 48 E48
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 49 E49
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 50 E50
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 51 E51
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 52 E52
circa 1896 Erie Canal Map 53 E53