Canajoharie and Catskill Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Canajoharie
and Catskill
Rail Road (C&C) ran from Catskill, NY to Potter's Hollow, NY. Originally it was intended to extend the railroad to Canajoharie, New York
.
Chartered in 1830, it never achieved its intended goal of connecting its namesake villages. A ground breaking ceremony was held in 1831, but construction did not begin in earnest until 1836 when the route was surveyed by George H. Cook. By the end of construction a total of 26¼ miles of track had been laid.
The track consisted of wooden rails topped with strap iron. The track generally followed Catskill Creek, and the communities served included Cairo
and Leeds
. The first trains, consisting of cars hauled by horses, ran in 1839. The line's only locomotive, Mountaineer, began operation in 1840. It was never very satisfactory. The C&C carried both passengers and freight. Commodities carried included iron, brick, wood, various agricultural products, and household goods including such items as candles, tea, salt, snuff and raisins.
The railroad operated until 1842, when the High Rock covered bridge over Catskill Creek collapsed under the weight of the train, killing one Jehiel Tyler. This disaster is marked by a New York State historic plaque on Route 145, about two and half miles west of East Durham
. Following the bridge collapse, the line collapsed financially and was sold and scrapped.
Starting in Catskill, NY, known mileposts along the route are:
Mile - Description
26.05 - Rail Road Office
25.73 - First bridge over the Catskill Creek
25.23 - Second bridge over the Catskill Creek
23.93 - Paper Mill
23.03 - Third bridge over the Catskill Creek
22.78 - Lime kiln
22.25 - Henry M. Vedder's residence
21.43 - Toll Gate
20.83 - Wolcott's Mills (Montgomeryville).
19.35 - Scotch Rock
19.18 - South Cairo
18.90 - Depot
18.63 - Opposite Mr. Blackmar's (Inn run owned by Elisha Blackmar built in 1816)
17.65 - rock excavations
15.15 - Cairo
14.63 - Samuel Bennett's
14.00 - opposite Woodstock (Polulated Place in Cairo, NY).
13.60 - Road
12.73 - Bridge, 26 ft. over small stream
9.15 - Hay Press
8.23 - Winansville, now (East Durham
)
7.58 - Hedges
6.09 - Bridge over Catskill Creek
5.40 - Bridge over Catskill Creek
4.80 - Opposite Tremain's tannery
4.50 - Mr. Stanard's
3.93 - Oak Hill
Station
3.43 - Richardson's Mill
1.93 - Brown's Fulling
Mill
.90 - Hands Tannery
.75 - Road to Potters Hollow
.49 - Cooksburg Depot
0 - 26 Chains
north of Cooksburg Depot
The only known depiction of the railroad is Thomas Cole
's River in the Catskills at the Museum of Fine Arts
in Boston.
Canajoharie (village), New York
Canajoharie is a village in the town of Canajoharie in Montgomery County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,257...
and Catskill
Catskill (village), New York
Catskill is a village in Greene County, New York, USA. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.The Village of Catskill is in the northeast part of the Town of Catskill. Catskill is the county seat of Greene County.-History:...
Rail Road (C&C) ran from Catskill, NY to Potter's Hollow, NY. Originally it was intended to extend the railroad to Canajoharie, New York
Canajoharie, New York
Canajoharie, New York may refer to:* Canajoharie , New York* Canajoharie , New York...
.
Chartered in 1830, it never achieved its intended goal of connecting its namesake villages. A ground breaking ceremony was held in 1831, but construction did not begin in earnest until 1836 when the route was surveyed by George H. Cook. By the end of construction a total of 26¼ miles of track had been laid.
The track consisted of wooden rails topped with strap iron. The track generally followed Catskill Creek, and the communities served included Cairo
Cairo (CDP), New York
Cairo is a census-designated place in the town of Cairo in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 1,390 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cairo is located at ....
and Leeds
Leeds, New York
Leeds is a hamlet in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 377 at the 2010 census.Leeds is located near the north town line of the Town of Catskill...
. The first trains, consisting of cars hauled by horses, ran in 1839. The line's only locomotive, Mountaineer, began operation in 1840. It was never very satisfactory. The C&C carried both passengers and freight. Commodities carried included iron, brick, wood, various agricultural products, and household goods including such items as candles, tea, salt, snuff and raisins.
The railroad operated until 1842, when the High Rock covered bridge over Catskill Creek collapsed under the weight of the train, killing one Jehiel Tyler. This disaster is marked by a New York State historic plaque on Route 145, about two and half miles west of East Durham
East Durham, New York
East Durham is an unincorporated community That is part of The town of Durham, New York located in the U.S. State of New York, approximately above sea level, in Greene County. In the 2000 Census its population was 1041. The village has a total land area area of approximately , and no water...
. Following the bridge collapse, the line collapsed financially and was sold and scrapped.
Starting in Catskill, NY, known mileposts along the route are:
Mile - Description
26.05 - Rail Road Office
25.73 - First bridge over the Catskill Creek
Catskill Creek
Catskill Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River that drains the east northern Catskill Mountains of the U.S. state of New York. From its source at Franklinton Vlaie in Schoharie County it flows southeast through parts of Albany County and Greene County to its mouth at the village of Catskill on...
25.23 - Second bridge over the Catskill Creek
23.93 - Paper Mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
23.03 - Third bridge over the Catskill Creek
22.78 - Lime kiln
22.25 - Henry M. Vedder's residence
21.43 - Toll Gate
20.83 - Wolcott's Mills (Montgomeryville).
19.35 - Scotch Rock
19.18 - South Cairo
18.90 - Depot
18.63 - Opposite Mr. Blackmar's (Inn run owned by Elisha Blackmar built in 1816)
17.65 - rock excavations
15.15 - Cairo
Cairo, New York
Cairo, New York may refer to:*Cairo , New York, located in Greene County*Cairo , New York, located within the Town of Cairo...
14.63 - Samuel Bennett's
14.00 - opposite Woodstock (Polulated Place in Cairo, NY).
13.60 - Road
12.73 - Bridge, 26 ft. over small stream
9.15 - Hay Press
8.23 - Winansville, now (East Durham
East Durham, New York
East Durham is an unincorporated community That is part of The town of Durham, New York located in the U.S. State of New York, approximately above sea level, in Greene County. In the 2000 Census its population was 1041. The village has a total land area area of approximately , and no water...
)
7.58 - Hedges
6.09 - Bridge over Catskill Creek
Catskill Creek
Catskill Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River that drains the east northern Catskill Mountains of the U.S. state of New York. From its source at Franklinton Vlaie in Schoharie County it flows southeast through parts of Albany County and Greene County to its mouth at the village of Catskill on...
5.40 - Bridge over Catskill Creek
4.80 - Opposite Tremain's tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
4.50 - Mr. Stanard's
3.93 - Oak Hill
Oak Hill, New York
Oak Hill is a hamlet in Greene County, New York, United States. Its elevation is . In the 2000 Census, the population of the ZCTA for its ZIP Code was 376. It has the ZIP Code 12460 and the area code 518....
Station
3.43 - Richardson's Mill
1.93 - Brown's Fulling
Fulling
Fulling or tucking or walking is a step in woolen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. The worker who does the job is a fuller, tucker, or walker...
Mill
.90 - Hands Tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
.75 - Road to Potters Hollow
Preston-Potter Hollow, New York
Preston-Potter Hollow is a census-designated place in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 374 at the 2000 census....
.49 - Cooksburg Depot
0 - 26 Chains
Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
north of Cooksburg Depot
The only known depiction of the railroad is Thomas Cole
Thomas Cole
Thomas Cole was an English-born American artist. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century...
's River in the Catskills at the Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
in Boston.