Black River Canal

The Black River Canal was proposed as a way to connect the Mohawk River to Lake Ontario, thereby opening the North Country to commerce. It was also a way to provide a source of water for the expansion of the Erie Canal. Work on the canal begun in 1838 and it became fully operational in 1855. It was considered an engineering marvel. From it's southern end on the Mohawk River in Rome to the summit in Boonville, it rose 693 and required 70 locks. The northern section which ended in Lyons Falls, NY required 39 locks on its descent of 386 feet. Compared to the Erie Canal which had 38 locks along its 350 mile course, the Black River Canal's 109 locks
over 35 miles is still a record holder.

The Black River Canal brought prosperity to the region. Jobs were plentiful from the sawmills, warehouses, boat building, and from canal maintenance itself. Boonville was indeed a boom town.

A 10-mile feeder canal built on the Black River from Forestport to Boonville in turn led to the development of Forestport.

The Black River Impoundment System was created in order to ensure adequate water level in the canals during drought seasons. In 1881, the dam was built that formed Kayuta Lake. By 1885, nearly every river and lake in the region has been dammed.

Although the canal was a boon to the region, it was never really profitable for the state. The tolls were unable to cover the cost of maintenance. The canal was in constant disrepair from lack of funding. Eventually, the use of the canal declined, partly from the arrival of the railroad, but mainly from the exhaustion of the lumber supply. By 1900, canal traffic has declined drastically. Despite a short reprieve between 1903 and 1918 brought about the construction of the Barge Canal, the state abandoned the canal in 1922.

Today, thanks to volunteer groups, parts of the canal have been developed for recreation. Click here for more information on what the canal looks like today.

For more history and artifacts from the canal, including a replica of a canal boat, visit the Black River Canal Museum in Boonville.

Check out these selected books about the canal:

Snubbing posts: An informal history of the Black River Canal. By Thomas C O'Donnell

Black River Canal (NY) (Images of America)