Research


New York State Department of Transportation Division of Waterways Maintenance Regional Waterway Engineer's Correspondence and Operation and Maintenance Files


Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology. See: New York State Archives Statement on Language in Descriptive Resources


Overview of the Records

Repository:

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

Summary:
This series documents the Division of Waterways Maintenance regional waterways engineer's operation and maintenance of the Erie Barge Canal between Oneida Lake and the eastern portions of Montgomery County.
Creator:
Title:
New York State Department of Transportation Division of Waterways Maintenance Regional Waterway Engineer's correspondence and operation and maintenance files
Quantity:

7 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:
1902-1992
Series Number:
B2422

Administrative History

Under the Department of Transportation, there were four regional waterways offices: Albany, Utica, Syracuse, and Rochester. The Utica office was responsible for operations and maintenance of the Erie Barge Canal between Oneida Lake and the eastern portions of Montgomery County. Included in that region were locks, bridges, channel, and the Fonda and Utica section shops. As with all the other regional offices, the monitoring and control of water levels was critical and is reflected in these files. A special characteristic of the Region 2 office was its management of the extensive network of reservoirs in the Adirondacks and in Madison County. Delta and Hinckley Reservoirs date to the early twentieth-century construction of the Barge Canal. Other elements of the network date back to the 1830s.

Frank Jennings was the regional waterways engineer at the time of the transfer of the Waterways office to the New York State Canal Corporation under the New York State Thruway Authority. His correspondence files from the 1970s through the early 1990s form the bulk of the series. His predecessor, Earl Scothon, was also a noted historian of the canal system. He had worked for the department since the 1930s and many of his notes, studies, and correspondence are also in the series.

The Utica office of the Department of Transportation's regional waterways engineer for Region 2 was closed as part of the 1992 transition of the Waterways office to the Canal Corporation. The Utica office files were inherited by the Corporation's Syracuse Division.

Scope and Content Note

This series documents the Division of Waterways Maintenance regional waterways engineer's operation and maintenance of the Erie Barge Canal between Oneida Lake and the eastern portions of Montgomery County. Records document monitoring and control of water levels and management of the network of reservoirs in the Adirondacks and in Madison County. Also included is a master list of all of the files that were removed from the Utica office at the time the office was closed in 1992.

Access Restrictions

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

Access Terms

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Detailed Description

Dates Contents Box Folder

Accretion: B2422-17
1966 Folder, "Canal Museum": 1966 correspondence with Frank Thomson of the Erie Canal Museum concerning the Barge Mary Ann, "the old wood barge removed from the Barge Canal at Fort Herkimer," was taken to the Fort Herkimer widewaters in 1947, possible transfer of parts to Canal Museum 1 1
circa 1966-1967 Folder, "Historical, Architectural Landmark Data // Herkimer-Oneida Co.": c. 1966/7 material on "Historical/Architectural/Landmarks Committee"; material on Historic Rome Development Authority 1 2
1973 Folder, "Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan": correspondence 1 3
circa 1960s-1970s Folder, "Erie Canal Park": extensive correspondence and other materials on the development of Old Erie Canal State Park (Earl Scothon files); plans for New London marina 1 4
1920, 1927, 1949, 1951-1952 Folder, "Stream Gaging Notes and Forms": 1951/2 repairs notes on Gurley current meter; 1949 Gurley catalog including listing of "Gurley Graphic Recorders"; 1927 correspondence on stream gaging below Rocky Rift; 1920 "discharge measurement notes" at Kast Bridge and others, places and dates 1 5
circa 1920s-1950s Folder, "Gages - Miscellaneous": correspondence from Earl Scothon concerning gaging; maps of gage locations 1 6
1905-1911, circa 1920s-1930s Folder, "Gages - Mohawk River": 1920s gage books; summary of high water readings at Rome (1905-1911); 1920s summary for Utica; 1930s correspondence 1 7
circa 1960s-1970s Folder, "Gages": correspondence on flood warning system, recording devices, locations in Region 2 1 8
1927-circa 1950s Folder, "High Water Reports": 1930s/40s/50s notes and reports on high water and floods in Region 2; reports on 1945, 1947 and other floods; summary statements of Gage 154 (Mohawk State Dam) (1927-1945) 1 9
circa 1900s-1940s, 1952 Folder, "Mohawk River": c1900s/10s/20s/30s/40s, Land and water notes; correspondence on various issues relative to river/land use; report on October 2, 1945 flood of upper Mohawk; 1952 report on hydrology of Mohawk above Utica; and recommendations for proposed Thruway bridge at Whitesboro 1 10
undated Folder, "Discharge - Old Erie Canal, etc.": Discharge curves and other notes 1 11
circa 1920s-1930s, 1960s-1990s Folder, "Sylvan Beach": 1920s/30s/60s/70s/80s/90s, extensive correspondence file; material on pier and Beach issues, ownership records; 1923 Crocker report on making navigation on Oneida Lake safer 1 12
circa 1960s-1990s Folder, "Sylvan Beach Breakwater" - 1960s/70s/80s/90s, material on breakwater; c. 1965 Corps of Engineers report on "Beach Erosion Control Study of Oneida Lake" 1 13
1989 June Unfoldered - "Sylvan Beach Pier Rehabilitation Study" 1 14
circa 1970s Folder, "Abandonment of State Lands at Sylvan Beach": correspondence; "pollution abatement" project, treatment plant proposal 1 15
circa 1970s-1980s Folder, "Barge Canal Contract Nos. 4 (Part) // Construction of Dock - 132 (Part) // Walls, Breakwaters and Light. 233 // Sylvan Beach House": correspondence on breakwater/pier; 1971 photos 1 16
circa 1940s-1950s Folder, "General - Oneida Lake - Verona Beach State Park": 1940s/50s correspondence; property transfers 1 17
1987 July-December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 2 1
1987 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 2 2
1987 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 2 3
1987 July- December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 2 4
1986 July-December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 2 5
1986 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 2 6
1986 July-December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 2 7
undated Two Packets on ROW points in Region 2 2 8
circa 1960s Folder, "Books and Maps Removed from Region 2 Files" - c. 1960s; extensive Scothon inventories of historical records at Utica, Rome and Fonda; Marcy and Utica State Hospital and Rome State School records disposition; 1969 Scothon records on disposition to "Rome Canal Museum," "Syracuse Historical Society" and Oneida County Historical Society; field book inventories 2 9
circa 1969 Folder, "Inventory of canal records in District 2 basement": lists of canal records 2 10
undated Folder, "Refiled Maps Part I": Scothon reassignment number lists of historical records 2 11
undated Folder, "Refiled Maps Part 2": Scothon reassignment number lists of historical records 2 12
undated Folder, "Maps for Syracuse, Watertown, State Institutions": Inventories of non-canal materials in Utica and Rome canal office 2 13
1973-1983 Folder, "Capital Construction Program, 1973-1983": Lists of canal capital projects in Region 2 and statewide 2 14
1986 Folder, "Newspaper Articles - 1986": Canal-related newspaper articles 3 1
1985 Folder, "Tonnage - 1985": Monthly statistics from Erie Lock 10 3 2
1986 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 3 3
1985 July- December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 3 4
1985 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 3 5
1985 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 3 6
1985 July- December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 3 7
1992 July- December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 3 8
1992 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 3 9
1992 July-December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 3 10
1992 Folder, "1992 Extra File Correspondence" 3 11
1992 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 3 12
1991 July-December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 3 13
1991 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 3 14
1991 Folder, "1991 Extra File Correspondence" 3 15
1991 July-December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 3 16
1991 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 3 17
1990 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 4 1
1990 July-December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 4 2
1990 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 4 3
1990 July-December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 4 4
1989 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 4 5
1989 July-December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 4 6
1989 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 4 7
1989 July-December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 4 8
1988 July-December Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 4 9
1988 January-June Folder, "Outgoing Correspondence" 4 10
1988 January-June Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 4 11
1988 July-December Folder, "Incoming Correspondence" 5 1
1988-1989 Folder, "General Correspondence" 5 2
1987 Folder, "General Correspondence" 5 3
1985 September-1986 December Folder, "General Correspondence" 5 4
circa 1993 Folder, "Canal Files Index": list of subject headings in the file cabinets 5 5
circa 1986-1987 Folder, "Canals, Other": c. 1986/7, recreational use of the canal; thank-you letters; SCOW; federal assistance efforts; "Design and Development of a Data Management System for the Erie Canal"; (Boyle, 1986), newspaper and magazine articles on the Barge Canal system; "Lock 20 Eagle Project" (Brunet, 1986); Canadian canals 5 6
circa 1991-1992 Folder, "Canals (General)": c. 1991/2, general information on canals; State Archives canal records; "Gratuity Signage" removal (1992); 1991 user survey, safety issues 5 7
circa 1970s Folder, "Bike Path Along Old Black River Canal": trail proposals and correspondence 5 8
circa 1970s-1980s Folder, "Bike Route": (General Correspondence) - 1970s/80s; "Canal Recreation System Phase 2 Proposal" (OPR, 1973) and Phase 1 (1973) 5 9
1916, 1958 Folder, "Canal History": Canal history brochures; "Empire State's Navy"; "Joint Legislative Committee... Historic Sites"; (1958) "Little Falls Historical Pageant and Lift Lock Celebration"; (1916), newspaper articles; 1958 illustrated newspaper article on Erie Lock 13 5 10
1944, circa 1980s-1990s Folder, "Floating Plant": 1980s/90s, general correspondence on floating plant issues; 1944 (revised 1975) inventory sheets of vessels for Region 2 5 11
circa 1970s-1990s Folder, "Facilities Rehabilitation (General)": on facility needs and proposals and improvements Region 2 5 12
1991 Folder, "Durhamville Aqueduct": correspondence on failure and repair 5 13
1972, 1978-1979 Folder, "Complaint - Indian Castle": 1978/9 correspondence on flooding issues, 1972 map 5 14
circa 1980s-1990s Folder, "Complaints, General": correspondence dealing with property, boating and maintenance issues, reservoirs 5 15
1948, 1972 Folder, "Claims, General": correspondence and memos regarding damages and insurance claims; Buda 1948 claim typescript concerning flooding near Canastota; other claims (statewide examples); tug crew claim (1972) on the Champlain Canal 5 16
circa 1990s Folder, "Cazenovia Gatehouse": 1990s correspondence; repairs; preservation; drawings, village/town of Cazenovia efforts; Mary Ivey 1991 correspondence; OPR correspondence 5 17
circa 1970s-1990s Folder, "Canastota, Village of (Erie Canal State Park)": correspondence, maintenance, permits 5 18
circa 1960s-1990s Folder, "Canal Records (Kept - Destroyed - Mailed)": 1990s disposition/retention schedules; lists of material destroyed (1960s/70s/80s,1991/92); State Archives reference material; inventories of historical records at various sites in Region 2 5 19
1989, circa 1990s Folder, "Canal, Future of": 1990s correspondence; trail development, user fees; 1989 "Erie Canal Development Feasibility Study"; public hearing testimony; legislative actions; newspaper articles 5 20
circa 1930s-1980s Folder, "Rome Muckland Claims": Extensive material up to 1980s; numerous deeds; separate folder "Muck Claims (Miscellaneous) 1935...", extensive 1930s correspondence; 1936 photo 6 1
1913, circa 1970s Folder, "Herkimer Home Historic Site": 1913 map of property; 1970s correspondence concerning property transfer and usage 6 2
circa 1970s-1980s Folder, "House at Forestport": correspondence concerning removal or demolition of the McDermid/Betters house 6 3
circa 1980s Folder, "House at Forestport": correspondence and maps concerning the McDermid/Betters house 6 4
circa 1970s-1990s Folder, "Memorandum of Understanding": materials relative to MOUs with DEC, OPR 6 5
circa 1970s-1980s Folder, "Mohawk Floodplains Assoc.": correspondence and other materials relative to floodplain issues; Oneida County Environmental Management Council 6 6
circa 1970s-1990s Folder, "Moss Island": correspondence; Little Falls Hydroelectric Associates; access to Moss Island; plan for proposed state park (1976) 6 7
circa 1990s Folder, "Newspaper Articles": various copy articles 6 8
circa 1990s Folder, "Old Erie Canal State Park": 1990s correspondence; "Possibilities for Proposed Beaver Management Plan for Old Erie Canal State Park" (Gordon Betts) 6 9
circa 1970s Folder, "Old Oneida Lake Canal": 1970s correspondence concerning transfer, OPRHP interest, Town of Verona interest 6 10
circa 1970s-1990s Folder, "Permit Correspondence (General)": correspondence concerning various canal permit issues in Region 2 6 11
circa 1970s Folder, "Park at Lock 20": 1970s, extensive material on development of park, 1973 proposal, 1974 plans 6 12
circa 1970s Folder, "Park at Lock 22": 1970s correspondence, plans, "mini park" 6 13
1992 Daily Lockage Reports and memos from Region 2 7 1
1967 Herkimer Hydraulic Canal; extensive background material; "Report on Herkimer Hydraulic Canal" (Stone and Webster, 1967); Bill Tiel research, deeds 7 2