New York State Division of Canals and Waterways Hudson to Great Lakes Waterway Contract Plans

Numerical by contract number.

This series consists of linen plans and drawings for contracts authorized by the State (Chapter 688, Laws of 1934) and funded by the Federal government. Under terms of a 1935 state-federal agreement New York State was able to accept federal aid for improvements to the Barge Canal System without transferring the canals to the government. As contracts were completed, the federal government reimbursed the state for money used to initiate, construct, and finance canal improvements. The Superintendent of Public Works was authorized by the law to carry out all work.

The project was known as the Hudson to Great Lakes Waterway and the contracts became popularly known as "U.S." contracts. U.S. contracts consisted in the deepening of the Waterford to Oswego section of the canal system from a depth of 12 to 14 feet, the raising of bridges to permit a 20-foot clearance, and the straitening and widening of bends. Plans for contracts in this series are often preceded by a key or location map which contain brief narratives describing contract terms. The plans themselves depict components of contracts such as channels, prisms, gates, locks, and other canal mechanisms.

B1768Series B1768, Index to Barge Canal Contracts, Maintenance Contracts, Terminal Contracts, U.S. Contracts, Final Estimates, Structures, and Shop Drawings, indexes this series.

Folder list is available at the repository.

This series was transferred from the Canal Corporation, via the State Museum in February 2001.

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