Research


New York State Canal Corporation Barge Canal Photographs and Film


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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:
The bulk of this series consists of photographs and negatives taken to document the construction and operations of the Barge Canal. Many of the photographs document the Utica Region of the canal from Amsterdam to Oneida Lake, the Black River Canal, and the Northern and Southern Reservoir Systems. Photos typically depict canal structures including locks, bridges, and dams; ice and flood conditions; terminals; equipment; shops; damage and repairs; construction progress; and other sites and activities.
Creator:
Title:
New York State Canal Corporation Barge Canal photographs and film
Quantity:

7.25 cubic feet

12500 photographic images

Inclusive Dates:
circa 1900-1996
Bulk Dates:
1935-1970
Series Number:
B1909

Arrangement

B1909-06: Arranged partly alphabetically by subject and partly by format.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of photographs and negatives taken to document the construction and operations of the Barge Canal, ca. 1900-1990. Many of the photographs document the Utica Region of the canal from Amsterdam to Oneida Lake, the Black River Canal, and the Northern and Southern Reservoir Systems. Photos typically depict canal structures including locks, bridges, dams; ice and flood conditions; terminals; equipment; shops; damage and repairs; construction progress; and other sites and activities.

Photographs are mostly black and white usually accompanied by negatives and captioned on versos or envelopes. Photographs mostly measure four by six inches or smaller. Some color photos and a very few color slides are present as well as one 16mm motion picture film (date and subject are uncertain). There is also a series of aerial photos documenting the Barge Canal from Lock 10 to Lock 27 taken December 1935 to document federal improvement of the Barge Canal.

Some of the later photos were created by the Syracuse Division of the New York State Thruway Authority, ca. 1984-1994.

B1909-15: This accretion contains photographs, negatives, and motion picture film documenting construction and operations of the Barge Canal. Photographs depict locks, dams, and bridges along the canal. There are five canisters and one box of motion picture film that include canal footage, with some personal footage of employees mixed in.

Related Material

11833 Barge Canal Construction Photographs, 1905-1921, contains photographs documenting work done on the canal system to be reported to the State Engineer and Surveyor

22424 Barge Canal Aerial Photographs, and

17672 Transportation and State Facilities Related Photographs and Photo Logs, contain related records

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

B1909-06: Container list is available at the repository.

Acquisition Information

B1909-15: These records were identified and transferred by principal engineer William Schollenberger of the New York State Canal Corporation in April 2014.

Custodial History

This series was transferred to the New York State Archives from the New York State Museum. The photographs were created in the Utica Region Office (Department of Transportation Region 2). When jurisdiction of the canal system was transferred to Thruway Authority in 1990s, the old canal office in Utica was merged into the Syracuse Division Office of the Canal Corporation. Records from Utica Region Office (Department of Transportation Region 2) were subsequently transferred to Syracuse. The series was later transferred to the New York State Museum from the Syracuse Division Office.

Access Restrictions

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

Access Terms

Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Genre(s):
Function(s):

Detailed Description

Dates Contents Box Folder

Accretion: B1909-15
5 canisters and 1 box of 8mm motion picture film. Private films of canal employees and canal footage (digitized by Craig Williams in 2001). Personal footage co-mingled with Canal Agency footage. 1 1
1986 December 31 Photographs, color. Rehabilitation of Erie Canal Dam 14 Herkimer 1 2
Photographs, color. North Lake Dam Rehabilitation 1 3
1984 July 6 Photographs, color. North Gage Road culvert construction 1 4
Photographs (B&W) prints and negatives: dam construction 1 5
1970 Photographs (B&W) Forrest Port Dam 1 6
1962 Photographs (B&W) prints and negatives: New London spillway 1 7
1963 Photographs (B&W) prints and negatives: Harbor lock 1 8
1963 Photographs (B&W) prints and negatives: Harbor Lock 1 9
1968 Photographs (B&W) Canal Spillway and New London Bridge 1 10
1967 Photographs (B&W) Lock 16 Mindenville 1 11
1922 Photo negatives. (B&W) 4x6 NYS Department of Transportation Division of Waterways. 1 12
1922 Photo negatives. (B&W) 4x6 NYS Department of Transportation Division of Waterways. 1 13
1922 Original envelopes. (B&W) 4x6 NYS Department of Transportation Division of Waterways. 1 14
Photographs (B&W and color) prints and negatives. Snapshots. 2 1
1950-1969 Photographs (B&W and color) rehoused 3 1
Photographs (B&W) 8x10 Waterford tower collapse 4 1
Photo negatives (B&W) 3x5 4 2
Photographs (B&W) 5 x 7 "Twin Ports" barge near Utica and envelope containing photos of blasting and Camp Jack 4 3