Black River Canal
Encyclopedia
The Black River Canal was a canal
built in northern New York
in the USA to connect the Erie Canal
to the Black River
. This canal was only 35 miles long, but it had 109 locks. While driving into Boonville on Route 12, you can see the locks that were once part of the Black River Canal.
There is a museum dedicated to the Black River Canal, the Black River Canal Museum in Boonville, New York
.
in Oneida County
to Carthage, NY in Jefferson County
to allow the communities of Northern New York access to an inexpensive mode of transportation for commerce. Originally the Canal Commission's intent was to complete a route that would terminate at the St. Lawrence river in Ogdensburg
at the northern edge of St. Lawrence County
. The canal when finished only went to Carthage
and yet still possessed all of the traits proposed in 1828 and rose a modest 693 feet (211.2 m). 109 locks were required to raise and lower the barges in this relatively short distance. Some of the locks were in consecutive series of four and five due to steep grades. The summit of the Black River Canal ("BRC") passed through Boonville
in Oneida County, where it met with a feeder canal that originated in Forestport, NY
. The northern end of the canal proper terminated at Lyons Falls
in Lewis County
while canal boat traffic continued through to Carthage by way of improvements to the navigability of the Black River itself and the assistance of steamboats. 2 additional locks and 4 dams on the river were needed to accomplish this feat.
was completed by the end of the year. In 1855, the entire planned length was finished. Damage from a burst dam in 1869 delayed the canal's opening for that year. By 1887 a repair program was instituted to correct damaged locks, worn by years of use. In 1900, the canal north of Boonville was determined to be uneconomic and was subsequently abandoned.
The name "headwaters" is still in current use in the Boonville area, mark the source of the water and the reservoir to feed the canal with water. The Black River Canal Warehouse
at Boonville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2003.
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
built in northern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the USA to connect the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
to the Black River
Black River (New York)
The Black River is a blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States of America...
. This canal was only 35 miles long, but it had 109 locks. While driving into Boonville on Route 12, you can see the locks that were once part of the Black River Canal.
There is a museum dedicated to the Black River Canal, the Black River Canal Museum in Boonville, New York
Boonville, New York
Boonville, New York may refer to either:* Boonville , New York* Boonville , New York, which lies within the Town of Boonville...
.
Description of the canal
In 1828, a survey for the Black River Canal Company proposed 34 miles of traffic canal, 11 miles of feeder canal, and 40 miles of navigable river from Rome, NYRome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
in Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
to Carthage, NY in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
to allow the communities of Northern New York access to an inexpensive mode of transportation for commerce. Originally the Canal Commission's intent was to complete a route that would terminate at the St. Lawrence river in Ogdensburg
Ogdensburg, New York
Ogdensburg is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 11,128 at the 2010 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and developer Samuel Ogden....
at the northern edge of St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
. The canal when finished only went to Carthage
Carthage, New York
Carthage is a village located in the Town of Wilna in Jefferson County, New York. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the historic Carthage in North Africa....
and yet still possessed all of the traits proposed in 1828 and rose a modest 693 feet (211.2 m). 109 locks were required to raise and lower the barges in this relatively short distance. Some of the locks were in consecutive series of four and five due to steep grades. The summit of the Black River Canal ("BRC") passed through Boonville
Boonville (village), New York
This page is about the village in New York. For other communities of the same name, see Boonville or for the town, see Boonville , New York...
in Oneida County, where it met with a feeder canal that originated in Forestport, NY
Forestport, New York
Forestport is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,692 at the 2000 census.The Town of Forestport is located in the northeast corner of Oneida County...
. The northern end of the canal proper terminated at Lyons Falls
Lyons Falls, New York
Lyons Falls is a village in Lewis County, New York, United States. The population was 591 at the 2000 census.The Village of Lyons Falls is on the border of the Town of West Turin and the Town of Lyonsdale...
in Lewis County
Lewis County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,944 people, 10,040 households, and 7,309 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 15,134 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
while canal boat traffic continued through to Carthage by way of improvements to the navigability of the Black River itself and the assistance of steamboats. 2 additional locks and 4 dams on the river were needed to accomplish this feat.
Brief history of construction and partial abandonment
Work commenced, after many years of planning and obtaining legislative support in 1837. Testing began in 1848 with the influx of a reduced quantity of water into the system to test for leakage and structural faults. By 1850, part of the canal north of Rome was in service, and the extension to Port LeydenPort Leyden, New York
Port Leyden is a village in Lewis County, New York, United States. The population was 665 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the village's early history as a port on the Black River Canal....
was completed by the end of the year. In 1855, the entire planned length was finished. Damage from a burst dam in 1869 delayed the canal's opening for that year. By 1887 a repair program was instituted to correct damaged locks, worn by years of use. In 1900, the canal north of Boonville was determined to be uneconomic and was subsequently abandoned.
Legacy of the canal
This canal was the longest-surviving of the Erie Canal's feeder canal system, remaining in use in some segments until c. 1920. By 1925, the canal was declared an abandoned waterway. Parts of the canal are still visible, and part of the course was along the current NY Route 12.The name "headwaters" is still in current use in the Boonville area, mark the source of the water and the reservoir to feed the canal with water. The Black River Canal Warehouse
Black River Canal Warehouse
Black River Canal Warehouse is a historic warehouse building located at Boonville in Oneida County, New York. It was built in 1850 and is a -story, rectangular, wood-frame building, 28 feet by 40 feet with a gable roof...
at Boonville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003.
External links
- Canal chronology
- Canal history
- http://blackrivercanalmuseum.com/ Boonville Black River Canal Museum