Finding Aid Search

Title

Inventory of canal "blue line" maps

Series Number

B2543

Summary

This series contains an inventory of the approximately 1,900 "blue line" maps produced by the State Engineer and Surveyor pursuant to Chapter 199, Laws of 1910 and Chapter 51, Laws of 1917. The maps inventoried depict all state owned lands and property prior to improvements effected for the Barge Canal System; the location of state property appropriated for the Barge Canal; and the location of the old canals and related state property in relation to the Barge Canal.

Creator

• New York (State). Division of Canals and Waterways

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Card index to documents relating to the Oswego Canal

Series Number

A4423

Summary

This series consists of a card file that apparently indexes documents relating to building and/or maintenance of the Oswego Canal, which ran from Syracuse to Oswego, New York. Most cards are undated and are pre-printed with the title "Barge Canal Field Books," They give canal name, contract number, geographical area, or type of structure; a description of the item indexed; and an "original number" and a "file number." Cards cover surveys, cross-sections, structures, and hydrological data.

Creator

• New York (State). Superintendent of Public Works

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Canal engineer's field notes for state canals

Series Number

A1078

Summary

This series consists of field notes from surveys made for the Canal Commissioners (Revised Statutes 1827), which directed that the Commissioners have maps and field notes made for all canals constructed by the state. Field notes in this series were submitted by the Canal Commissioners to the Canal Board for approval, and upon approval were certified by the commissioners and filed in the Comptroller's Office. The Erie, Chenango, Chemung, Crooked Lake, Cayuga and Seneca, and Oswego canals are covered.

Creator

• New York (State). Comptroller's Office

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Accounts of Canal Commissioners for expenditures on branch canals

Series Number

A1087

Summary

Included are accounts for the following canals: Oswego, Genesee Valley, Black River, Chenango, Cayuga and Seneca, Chemung and Crooked Lake, as well as the Oneida River Improvement. Each entry provides name of payee; after date; location or type of work performed; and amount due.

Creator

• New York (State). Comptroller's Office

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Middle and Western Division survey maps for the proposed 1895 Erie Canal enlargement

Series Number

B1210

Summary

These survey maps for proposed canal improvements of Erie, Champlain, and Oswego canals are particularly valuable for their representation of state-owned land. Maps show measurements of canal length; town, city, and county lines; name of some land owners, or parcel numbers, of property adjacent to the canal; buildings along the canal rout; and parapets, aqueducts, and other related structures.

Creator

• New York (State). State Engineer and Surveyor

Access Restrictions

Restricted due to fragile condition: use only with assistance of State Archives staff.

Title

Scrapbook of the water levels on the Oswego and Erie Canals

Series Number

B0327

Summary

This series consists of a scrapbook of daily listings of water levels on the Oswego and Erie Canals.

Creator

• New York (State). State Engineer and Surveyor

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Maps of portions of canal lands belonging to the State of New York

Series Number

B1761

Summary

This series consists of approximately 1900 original linen maps produced by the State Engineer and Surveyor. The maps are popularly known as "Blue Line," "Laws of 1910 Maps," and "Abandonment Maps." The maps depict all state owned lands and property prior to improvements completed for the Barge Canal System; the location of state property appropriated for the Barge Canal; and the location of the old canals and related state property in relation to the Barge Canal.

Creator

• New York (State). Division of Canals and Waterways

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Canal Fund account book

Series Number

A1085

Summary

This volume is a ledger accounts of Commissioners of the Canal Fund for Erie and Champlain Canal Fund and stock, and for stock of the Cayuga and Seneca, Crooked Lake, Chenango, Oswego, and Black River canals. There are also accounts with the Canal Commissioners, Superintendents of Repairs, and banks in New York City, Albany, and elsewhere in which tolls and canal loans premiums were deposited.

Creator

• New York (State). Comptroller's Office

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Abstracts of expenditures for engineering

Series Number

B1379

Summary

This series documents expenditures for the construction of the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego Canals. Headings include name of division engineer, geographical division, name of canal, voucher number, date, to whom paid, contract number, amount of voucher, position of payee, services or equipment paid for, subtotals, and totals.

Creator

• New York (State). Comptroller's Office

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Whiteprint copies of maps of portions of canal lands belonging to the State of New York

Series Number

A0867

Summary

The whiteprint copies of original "blue line" maps are arranged geographically by portfolio then numerically by map number. The maps show boundaries of state-owned lands along the Erie, Champlain, Black River, Cayuga, and Seneca Canals and depict old and new canal lines; structures, streets and adjacent roads; and state and privately owned land. Each portfolio includes full titles. The maps depict in minute detail lands acquired for canal purposes.

Creator

• New York (State). Comptroller's Office

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Contracts for improvement of the Erie and Oswego Canals

Series Number

A0133

Summary

This series consists of volumes documenting three individual contracts for improvement of the Erie and Oswego Canals: Contract No. 8-A (Erie Canal Section 2) involved the construction of Lock No. 8 and the substructure of Dam No. 4 in the Mohawk River at Scotia; Contract No. 206 (Erie Canal Section 9) pertained to the raising of the bridge over Lock No. 33 at Edgewood Avenue in Rochester; and Contract No. 10-A (Oswego Canal Section 1) involved completing construction of the canal and raising the upper dam at Fulton.

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Printed material, correspondence and photographs from the Canal Investigating Commission

Series Number

A0834

Summary

This series consists of instructions, specifications, profiles, cost estimates and accounts, correspondence, photographs, and other documents relating to proposed improvements to the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego Canals. The Canal Investigating Commission investigated work already done on enlarging and improving the aforementioned canals; examined contracts for the work and whether or not they were properly made; and determined whether the amount of money already expended on the work was properly expended and if additional money was needed to finish the work.

Creator

• New York (State). Canal Investigating Commission

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Sectional maps of the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego Canals

Series Number

B0253

Summary

This series of maps (commonly referred to as "Schillner Maps") depict land along the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego canals acquired by the state. Each map provides detailed information on state owned property, and shows the locations of the 1825 canal alignment and related structures such as locks, slips, dams, bridges, and roads which have since been obliterated. In addition they show municipal boundaries, bodies of water, property lines, names of owners, streets, railroad lines, businesses, and civic landmarks.

Creator

• New York (State). State Engineer and Surveyor

Access Restrictions

Restricted: Maps are fragile and may not be photocopied because of size. Use with supervision of archivist.

Title

Whiteprint copies of maps of lands permanently appropriated by the state for canal purposes

Series Number

B0252

Summary

This series, known as the "blue line maps," depicts lands acquired for canal purposes up to and including the construction of the Barge Canal. The maps show inner angles of the towpaths on the old canal; state owned property prior to Barge Canal construction; property appropriated for Barge Canal projects; various structures, roads, streets, and other landmarks; and the names of owners of private property adjacent to the canal.

Creator

• New York (State). Department of State

Access Restrictions

Restricted: Some portfolios unusable because of physical condition. Use under supervision or with assistance of archivist due to poor condition.

Title

Map and plan books of the location and construction of the state's canal system

Series Number

B0292

Summary

These volumes address the enlargement of the Erie and Champlain canals; building of the Oswego, Cayuga and Seneca, Chenango, Black River, and Genesee Valley canals; and appropriation of lands for canal use. They contain drawings, maps, diagrams, tracings, and profiles of much of the State's canal system and its related structures and provide detailed information concerning the location, dimensions, specification, and construction of related canal structures.

Creator

• New York (State). State Engineer and Surveyor

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Index to Barge Canal contracts, maintenance contracts, terminal contracts, U.S. contracts, final estimates, structures, and shop drawings

Series Number

B1768

Summary

This series consists of photocopies of indexes used by the New York State Canal Corporation and its predecessor agencies for access to material relating to the New York State Barge Canal system. Indexes to contracts typically include contract number, location, canal, division, section, and a brief narrative description of the work included in the contract. The series includes indexes to Barge Canal contracts through 1936, maintenance contracts through 1992, terminal contracts through 1936, and U.S. contracts through contract number 200.

Creator

• New York State Canal Corporation

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Canal damage awards by Canal Appraisers, Board of Claims, and Court of Claims

Series Number

B0602

Summary

This series consists of certified copies of awards by the Canal Appraisers (through 1883) and by the Board of Claims (1883-1897), and of judgments by the Court of Claims (1897-1953). These awards were made for damages to lands adjacent to state canals. Many such damages were sustained by private persons when their lands were appropriated temporarily or permanently for repairs or enlargement of the Erie Canal, for the so-called $9,000,000 improvement at the turn of the century, and for construction of the Barge Canal system.

Creator

• New York (State). Department of Audit and Control

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Original and preliminary cross sections for 1895 survey of Erie Canal improvement

Series Number

B0650

Summary

This series consists of hand-drawn cross sections from an 1895 survey done for proposed canal improvements. Various colored lines represents the existing canal bed; proposed improvements; and water level of the canal. Measurements give changes in elevation for use in determining the amount of excavation or fill needed for the improvements. Represented are parts of the middle and western division of the Erie and Oswego canals, along with several prominent feeders.

Creator

• New York (State). State Engineer and Surveyor

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Maps, plans, details, and drawings of structures and locations for work on the Erie, Genesee Valley, Chemung, and Oswego canals

Series Number

B0379

Summary

This series documents the planning and estimating work done to various structures along the state's canals. The records include maps and plans of locations and structures for work done on the Erie (Middle and Western divisions only), Genesee Valley, Chemung, and Oswego canals, and at least one sheet relating to the Cayuga and Seneca Canal. The records date from the first canal enlargement through to the start of the canal improvements that became known as the Barge Canal system.

Creator

• New York (State). Executive Department

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Records relating to diverse parts of the state's canal system

Series Number

A4431

Summary

This series consists of materials produced from work done on the state's canal system including the Cayuga and Seneca Canal, the Auburn Extension, and the Erie, Oswego, and Champlain Canals. Records include information for contracts relating to maintenance of terminals; blueprints of land to be appropriated for canal use in Cayuga County (Montezuma); daily journal of work on the Auburn Extension Survey; field books of data (Cayuga County); draft survey descriptions on assessed property values; and weekly observations of river heights.

Access Restrictions

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