USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 1 > Part 4
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3 Crow Nest 1,418 do.
4 Butter Hill 1,529 do.
5 New Beacon 1,528 do.
6 Sugar Loaf 886 do.
7 Bull Hill
1,484 do.
8 Break Neck 1,187 do.
9 Old Beacon 1,471 do.
10 Fort Putnam 786 do.
11 Hook Mountain
1,000 do.
12 Taconic. (Sheffield, Massachusetts,) 3,000 do.
13 Peterborough, or Bald .
Note .- The Highlands have been measured by Captain Alden Patridge, President of the Military Acadamy, at Middle- town, Conn.
3d, The Kaatskill Mountains, &c.
1 Pine Orchard . 3,000 Ft.
2 High Peak 3,718 do.
3 Round Top: 3,804 do.
4 The range on the right bank of Schoharie, westwardly of Athens on the Hudson 1,912 do.
5 Shawangunk and Blue Mountains. 2,000 do.
6 Palmer Mountain, in Delaware county 2,111 do.
7 Pine Mountain between Delaware and Ulster counties 1,780 do. 8 The ridge between Chesnut Cr. and Beaver kill 1,668 do.
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HISTORY OF THE
9 Mongaup (in Sullivan county) . 2,080 Ft.
10 Helderberg 600 to 700 do.
4th, Other Elevations.
1 Mountain ranges along Papachton river, from 1,600 to 2,600 Ft.
2 Lake Utsayantho 1,886 do.
3 The range between Delaware and Sus- quehannah rivers, from 1,500 to 2,300 do.
4 The range between Unadilla and Che- nango rivers . 1,200 to 1,700 do.
5' Chautauqua ridge, from 1,573 to 2,163 do.
6 Sources of Genesee and Alleghany rivers, estimated at . 2,300 to do.
5th, Summit Levels, &c.
Summit Pond in Otsego county 1,346 Ft.
Otsego Lake about 1,188 do.
Summit of the Chenango, proposed canal 1,126 do. Hills around the head of Cayuga lake, from 1,250 to 1,380 do.
Hills'around the Seneca Lake, from 1,300 to 1,380 do.
Rome Summit level 420 do.
Oneida Lake 360 do.
Onondaga Lake 350 do.
`. Montezuma (canal level) 371 do.
Cayuga Lake, estimated at 371 do.
Seneca Lake 431 do.
Crooked Lake 700 do.
Canandaigua 680 do.
Lake Ontario 230 do.
Lake Erie 565 do.
Owasco, in Cayuga county, estimated at 685 do.
Skaneatelis, in Onondaga county 834 do.
Lewistown Heights (Niagara county) 576 do.
Ontario Heights near Lock Port 600 do.
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
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Lock Port at the foot of the Steep (canal)
504 Ft.
Aqueduct at Rochester 501 do.
Lake Champlain 086 do. Summit Level of the Champlain canal 140 do.
Lake George
243 do.
Linklaen's lake (the Hawgena of the Agoneaseah) estimated at 800 do.
Chautauqua lake
1,560 do.
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HISTORY OF THE
CHAPTER II.
HILLY TRACTS.
THE hilly tracts comprehend the greater parts of the counties . of Washington, Rensellaer, Columbia, Dutchess, and West- . chester, lying on the east side of the Hudson ; parts of Ulster, Greene, Albany and Schenectady, lying on the west side of that . river ; the southerly parts of the county of Montgomery, or those portions on the south side of the Mohawk, and west of Clip hill, or Clinton mountain, and back from the river to the forest, eight or ten miles ; the northern parts of the counties of Schoharie and. Otsego; the southerly part of the county of Herkimer, that is most lying south of Tug Hill, comprising over one-fourth of the whole territory, excepting, however, most of the towns of Manheim, Warren, Columbia and Hassencleaver .`mountain ; the southern part of Oneida, and some portions of the centre ; nearly all the counties of Chenango and Madison ; the southern and middle parts of Onondaga ; the southeasterly part of the county of Cayuga ; portions of Courtland ; the greater part of the counties of Tompkins and Yates ; portions of Tioga and Steuben, adjoining those counties ; the southerly and westerly parts of Ontario ; portions of Livingston, Allegha- ney and Cattaraugus ; the northeasterly part of Oswego; some portions of Jefferson, bordering on Lewis ; that part of Lewis adjacent to Black river, and southwestardly of that river to the Highlands ; those parts of St. Lawrence and Franklin, contiguous to the Sacondaga mountains; and the interior part of Clinton. Such are the general outlines of the tracts de- nominated hilly. In most of these tracts there are champaigns, plains, vales, &c. of more or less extent, which are to be ex- cepted. Some of these will be noticed in other parts of this work, under their proper heads.
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
The hilly tract along the Hudson, and its vicinity, is na- turally divided into three parts; two of these are on the east, and one on the west side of that river. The first contains that part of the county of Westchester, situated westwardly of Ta- conic mountain, and on the borders of Long Island Sound. It descends westwardly to the Hudson, and southeastwardly to the sound. The surface along the river is agreeably diversified, but as you approach the Taconic it assumes asperity.
The second contains those parts of Dutchess, Columbia and Rensellear, situated north of the Highlands, and west of Peter- borough, or Bald mountain, and nearly all of Washington, south of the head of Lake Champlain, and a line drawn from South Bay, to Fort Ann, and thence southerly to the Hudson below Fort Edward. , Its surface, except in the neighbourhood of Lake Champlain, declines towards the Hudson., On the borders of Vermont, the hills are elevated and rugged, occa- sionally putting on the mountain character. The hills lessen all the way to the Hudson. They often exhibit beautiful surfaces.
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The third contains the interior of Greene, the southwesterly and westerly parts of the county of Albany, and the west- erly part of the county of Schenectady. Some portions of the county of Ulster, lying a little back from the river, may also be included in this tract. The whole has a declination towards the plains and champaigns bordering the river. Un the borders of the Kaatskills, the hills are lofty and steep. The form of this tract is very irregular.
The next tract, and the principal one for extent, beauty and fertility, contains the hilly parts of Montgomery, Schoharie, Otsego, Herkimer, Oneida, Chenango, Madison, Onondaga, Courtland, Cayuga, Tompkins, Tioga, Steuben, Yates, On- tario, Livingston, Alleghany and Cattaraugus. Its length is about two hundred and thirty miles; and its breadth, which is variable, is from ten to forty miles. Its limits, on the east, are the hills of Schenectady and Albany; on the south, the Kaatskill and Alleghany mountains, and their continuations on the west, the plains of Cattaraugus, and on the north VOL. F
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HISTORY OF THE
the flat country champaigns, Oneida and Seneca vale, Sacon- daga mountains, &c.
In Montgomery the hills slope towards the Mohawk river, and Schoharie creek. These streams flow in deep ravines, the country rising on either side from them with considerable ab- ruptness. The hills of Schoharie descend towards the stream of that name, and sometimes end in perpendicular descents. The hills of Montgomery and Schoharie are mostly susceptible ofs tillage. The hills of Otsego and Chenango rise from the banks of the many rivers and streams which water those counties, and are disposed in ridges which have directions conformable to the streams. They rise in the south, and fall in the north, ending as it were on the spine, dividing the waters of the Susque- hannah from those of the Mohawk and Oswego, rivers, or else they descend the spine, and subside on the borders of the Oneida and Seneca vale, and the champaigns adjoining it. The hills of Chenango and Otsego may be regarded as continuations of the Alleghany mountains. The hilly parts of Oneida are mostly south of the road leading from Utica to Buffalo. The hills run along Sauquait, Oriskinny and Oneida creeks ; and between those streams, and are connected with those of Madison, as those are again with those of Chenango. The hills have considerable height, occasionally affording extensive views. From the hill, 'west of Oriskinny creek, Oneida lake, and the country around "it, and the Highlands of Black river, appear in full view in a clear day. The soil of this tract is commonly rich.
The hills of Madison, Onondaga, Courtland and Cayuga are less rugged than those of Schoharie, Otsego and Courtland. In general, except along Chitteningo, Butternut, Onondaga and Otisco creeks, the country displays a pleasingly diversifi- ed aspect of hills and valleys. The soils, though variable, are among the best in the State. It is well watered by Oneida, Chitteningo, Limestone, Onondaga and Otisco creeks, which fall into Oneida lake and Seneca river, and by the head waters of Chenango. The Chitteningo, Onondaga and Otisco creeks flow in deep ravines. The hills bounding these ravines are high and steep, and at times craggy.
STATE OP NEW-YORK.
The hills of Tioga, Tompkins, Steuben, Alleghany and Cattaraugus may be deemed prolongations of the Alleghanies. In some places they are high and broken, and in others low, smooth and connected. The soils, in some instances, are good and in others middling or poor. The hilly parts of Tioga and Steuben, and a portion of the hilly part of Tompkins, are watered by branches of the Susquehannah, along which are many pleasant valleys. In Alleghany and Cattaraugus coun- ties, the hills on the borders of Pennsylvania are sharp and rocky. These hills are traversed by the Genesee and Alle- ghany rivers, and their tributaries, which often flow in deep dells. The scenery is wild.
The hills of Yates, Ontario and Livingston, usually pre- sents handsome surfaces, and admit of cultivation to their very summits.
The whole tract, taken together, has a good climate; is healthy, and with few exceptions is adapted to agriculture and grazing.
The hilly parts of Oswego, St. Lawrence and Franklin, have less fertility, and less cultivation. The entire tract is well watered and is healthy.
The fourth tract, is in the county of Clinton. It has the Chatteaugua range of mountains on the west, and the level country along Lake Champlain on the east, embracing the middle parts of the county. It unites the flat and mountainous countries. The lands are moderately fertile.
There are other hilly tracts-some are in Rockland, some in Ulster, and others in various parts of the State; but as they are small in extent, and sometimes insulated, we shall not notice them particularly. We shall make the same remarks in relation to the small champaigns and plains situated within the hilly tracts.
The hilly tracts exhibit the most interesting picturesque, and beautiful landscapes that are to be found in the State. Every where we find something new, varied, and attractive.
The northerly part of Manhatten Island is hilly. Washington, near Fort Washington, is 238 feet high.
Mount
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HISTORY OF THE
Staten Island is divided into the hilly and level tracts. The former is in the northerly part of the island. The hills of this island are not elevated or rough.
The hills on Long Island, in the counties of King's and Queen's, scarcely deserve the name.
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
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CHAPTER III.
1
CHAMPAIGNS AND PLAINS.
THE first that we shall describe, and the second as to extent, is within the basin of the Hudson, and mostly on the west side of that river. It comprises the southern and eastern parts of the county of Saratoga, or those parts south of the mountains, the northeastern and central parts of the county of Schenectady, the eastern parts of the counties of Albany and Greene, a por- tion of the county of Columbia, embracing the Kinderhook plains, that part of the county of Washington lying to the northwest of the hills of that county, and southerly of South Bay, and that part of the county of Montgomery, situated southeasterly of Mayfield mountain, and between the Sacondaga and Mohawk rivers. It is bounded on the north by the Sac- ondaga mountains, on the northwest and west by Mayfield mountain, and the hilly tracts of the counties of Schenectady, Albany and Greene, and on the east, pretty generally by the Hudson, and the hills of the county of Washington. Its length from north to south, is between eighty and ninety miles, and its breadth, from east to west, from four to forty miles, averaging about sixteen. It is divided into champaigns and plains. The former are in the county of Greene, and in the counties of Al- bany, Schenectady, Saratoga and Montgomery. The tract, taken together, displays either a flat or gently waved surface, which rises by very easy gradations from the hills, along the Hudson. The soils differ considerably in quality, but in the main, are good or middling, and with suitable cultivation, may be rendered very productive. Indeed, the lands of the champaigns are all of that at present. The soils of the plains consist of sand, sandy loams, gravel and clay, resting on shistic rocks, and in some instances, limestone rocks, marls and clays, and have been deported from the northern regions. None of
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, HISTORY OF THE
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the rocks in situ, would, by disintegration, produce such soils. The soils have no great depths since all the rivers and streams descending into the Hudson, have laid them bare, and now flow beneath their base, and since, permanent wells have, in general, to be sunk below them. The usual depth of the sand is from ten to thirty feet. The loams and gravels ordinarily have less thickness. In the midst of these sandy and gravelly plains, are some productive spots, which now and then have extents of a thousand acres or more.
The plains contain not far from one half of the tract, and extend from near the head of South Bay, on Lake Champlain, southerly into Greene.
The Kinderhook plains, lying on the east side of the river, are separated by the Hudson. These plains, in constituents character, &c. are like the preceding, only they are more pro- ductive.
In the county of Montgomery, sandy and gravelly plains, of limited extent, occur in several places between the Mohawk and Sacondaga rivers. That at Kingsbury, in the town of Johns. town, is the largest.
The champaigns in the county of Greene, situated between the Hudson and hills, have great beauty. The same may be said of those in Albany, Saratoga and Montgomery.
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The second which we shall notice, is a champaign of small extent in the county of Ulster. Its western bounds are the hills which connect the Shawangunk and Kaatskill mountains, and its eastern the Hudson. In breadth varies from two to six miles. Its declination is towards the Hudson.
Between the Hudson and Nyack hills, in the county of Rock- land, there is a small champaign tract, possessing richness.
The third which we shall attempt to describe more at large, comprehends portions of the county of Cayuga, lying south and north of the Oneida and Seneca vale ; most of the counties of Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Oswego and Jefferson, and parts of St. Lawrence and Franklin. This tract is bounded on the north and northwest, by Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence river ;
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
on the east southeast and south by the hilly tracts before noticed, 'and on the southwest by the great western plain. Its length on the side of Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence river, exceeds two hundred miles.
The surface is either flat or some what undulated, and taken together, descends towards Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence river. Independant of the general slope, there are others to- wards Cayuga, Seneca and Canandaigua lakes, Canandaigua outlet, Mud creek, Oswego and some other rivers. The slopes towards Cayuga and Seneca lakes, are from east to west, and from west to east, and opposite to their courses. Those to- wards Mud creek, Canandaigua outlet, are also opposite to their courses. Part of the Oneida and Seneca vale lies in this tract.
The Ontario and St. Lawrence border, or that strip which lies immediately in their vicinity, is a plain of easy declivity 1 and of almost uniform appearance. Every where we are pre- sented with levels, on which there are few inequalities. Often the descent towards Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence river, is so easy that the eye does not take it in. The ancient beach of the lake, or at least portions of it, are to be seen in this plain, as far as Black river on the northeast. Indeed the beach is well defined to Grest Sodus Bay, and serves, at this day, for a public . road. We should be disposed to include the whole Ontario border, in the great western plain, had it more breadth at the western end. The St. Lawrence part of the border has less smoothness than the Ontario. Its surface is less dry, it abound- ing more in swamps, marshes, lakes and ponds.
That part of the county of Cayuga, between the Erie canal ·and the hills on the south and east, descends with much unifor- mity, westwardly to the lake and its outlet. Its aspect is very little roughened ; the few inequalities being some loamy, sandy and gravelly swells and ridges of small elevation. The greater part of these are neighbouring the canal, or Seneca and Onei- da vale.
Between Cayuga and Seneca lakes, the country is moder- ately uneven, and rises from their respective shores, in low hills and ridges.
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. HISTORY OF THE
Between Seneca outlet and the vale of Canandaigua, through - which the Erie canal runs, the Montezuma marshes, and the county of Ontario, the country is mostly a plain. In travelling westwardly from those marshes to Geneva in Ontario, at the head of Seneca lake, we behold nothing but one uniform level, and if we travel northerly, it must be some miles before we see any thing otherwise. On the side of Seneca outlet, the declivity scarcely suffices to carry off the waters.
. Ontario county, as far west as Canandaigua lake, has a gently inclined surface, which descends towards Seneca and Canan- daigua lakes, and the Erie canal. The whole seems to be a kind of plain, rising from all of those sides. The space be- tween Geneva and Canandaigua is mostly composed of low ridges with intervening swales ranging northerly and southerly. The district between these lakes has hardly a parallel in point of richness and beauty in the State.
Wayne, lying north of Ontario and Seneca, has also a mo- derately variagated aspect. Those parts adjoining Mud creek and Canandaigua river are the most uneven. These, however, can only be ranked among champaigns. The Ontario border, situated northerly of those streams, we have already described, as a plain of very easy descention towards that lake.
The champaigns of Oneida are between the hills and the Oneida and Seneca vale, and to the northwest of the village o Rome. The former appear to very fine advantage in travelling on the great road from Utica to Oneida creek, &c. and from some of the hills southerly of that road.
The champaign towns of Columbia, Warren and Manheim, in the county of Herkimer, exhibit beautifully diversified aspects. The former are at the extremity of the Susquehannah valley. A part of Springfield, in the county of Otsego, might be added since its aspect is analagous.
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STATE OF NEW-YORK:
PLAIN OF THE WEST.
THE western plain commences four, five, six and even seven iniles east of Genesee river, and extends westwardly to the river Niagara and Lake Erie, where it enters the Province of Upper Canada, and continues the same direction. It is bounded on . the east by the preceding champaigns, and some portion of the hilly tract before noticed ; on the north by Lake Ontario, and on the south by the Chatauqua and Alleghany hills. To describe, or speak of its boundaries on the west, would be for-
eign to this work. That part lying within this State is upwards of eighty miles in length, from east to west, and from thirty te forty in breadth, from north to south. "On the west it is separ- ated from Upper Canada, by Niagara river, or strait, and Lake Erie. It contains the counties of Niagara and Orleans, and most of the counties of Munroe, Livingston, Genesee and Erie. It is traversed from west to east, by two rocky ledges, which, in some respects, divide it into three plains, which rise one above the other, like steps or terraces. 'These steeps or ledges have only single declivities, and these severally face and decline towards Lake Ontario. On the borders and across the vale of Genesee, these steeps sink to the level of the country or are hardly visible. These steeps range the plain lengthwise, and are from ten to fourteen miles distant from each other. On Genesee river they are fourteen miles apart, and on the Niagara about fifteen, making some allowance for the tor- tuousness of its bed. Between these given lines they are lesse
The nothern steep is from four to ten miles south of Lake Ontario; and the southern from fourteen to twenty-two miles, These steps are mostly ledges of limestone rocks, being simply offsets from the upper plain towards Lake Ontario. The Erie canal runs at the foot of the nothern steep, eastwardly almost to une tiourishing village of Rochester on Genesee river. The whole plain has four slopes ; one towards Lake Ontario, which is general ; one towards Lake Erie and Niagara river ; and two towards Genesee river, which face eastwardly and west- VOL. I. 5
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HISTORY OF THE
wardly. The streams, in certain respects, announce the slopes. The lower plain or terrace, however, has but a single slope, and that dips in the direction of Lake Ontario.
The surface of the entire plain displays little else than one vast level ; the steeps and some few insulated eminences, scarce- ly forming exceptions. The soils, though somewhat diversified, may, without exaggeration, be pronounced fertile.
The general altitudes of the separate terraces forming the plain, may be set down as follows: First, the lower, from 20 to 270 feet above Lake Ontario; second, the middle, from 270 to 325 feet ; and the third, from 325 to 470 feet. The surface of Lake Ontario is 230 feet above tide-water on the Hudson, and that of Lake Erie 565. The Rochester level of the Erie canal is 500 to 504 feet, or 270 to 274 above Lake Ontario. The most elevated part of the plain is between Genesee river and Lake Erie.
The great road leading from Utica to Buffalo runs through the whole plain. The ridge road also runs entirely through it. Genesee river, Buffalo, and its kindred branches, Tontewanta, Oak Orchard creeks, &c. flow through this plain, in beautiful meanders. -
There is another plain in the west, that claims our attention. It stretches along the southeasterly shore of Lake Erie, com- mencing a few miles southerly of Buffalo, to the Pennsylvania triangle, some what over fifty miles Its breadth fluctuates between three and seven miles. The Chatauqua ridge, and some hills lying between its base and the western plain, limit it on the southeast; while Lake Erie leaves it on the northwest. The extremes of this plain pass on the one hand into Pennsylvania, and on the other into the western plain. The acclivity from the shore of Lake Erie, to the Chatauqua ridge, is very easy, and often scarcely perceptible to the eye. On this plain there are few or no inequalities, but the ravines of streams.
There is a small beach, beginning a few miles southwesterly . of Cattaraugus creek, that runs to the triangle of Pennsylvania. . Its course is between the shore of the lake and the foot of the
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
ridge. It is not so broad, high and uniform, as the Ontario beach is, on which the ridge road is constructed. It stops on the banks of all the streams, which cross the plain, being in pieces." On the lake side its slope is longer and better defined, than on the Chatauqua side. Like that of Ontario, the land side is often wet and swampy.
In the counties of Clinton and Essex, there is a champaign considerable as to extent. In some parts it is so level as to merit the name of plain. It extends from the northern parts of Essex northwardly, into Lower Canada, beyond latitude forty-five. Its extent, in this State, is about forty miles, and its breadth, . from four to eight or nine miles. "On the east lies Lake Cham- plain, and on the south and west, hills. In Lower Canada it comprises most of the space between Sorell and St. Lawrence rivers. . Its surface is either flat, or commodiously variagated with low swells. The lands are commonly good. The state road running from Albany to Lower Canada passes through it lengthwise.
1735153
PLAINS ON LONG ISLAND, &c.
THIS island is separated from Connecticut by the Sound, and from the county of Westchester and Manhattan Island, by East river, and from Staten Island, by New-York Bay and the Narrows. The Atlantic Ocean washes it on the south and east. It is one hundred and fifteen miles long, extending from the Narrows eastwardly, to Montauk Point, and twenty broad. Its average breadth, however, does not surpass ten miles. A ridge of granitic hills, denominated the spine, divides it into two very unequal parts. The spine stretches from the west end of the Island eastwardly, to River Head, a distance of about sixty miles. This ridge has summits from one hundred to four hundred feet, perpendicular elevation, above the ocean. Har- bour Hill, in the town of Hempstead, in the county of Queen's, is supposed to be the highest land on the island.
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HISTORY OF THE
The country lying southwardly and eastwardly of the hills, 'comprising the greater part of the island, is mostly a plain of a very uniform level and aspect, being but little elevated above the ocean. Sand and sandy loams are the predominating soils. Hempstead plain, in the county of Queen's, is embraced in it. Its extent, from west to east, is sixteen miles; and from north to south, from four to eight. It is almost a dead level. Heath grass, cassually interspersed with small coppices of dwarfish bushes, overspreads its surface. Southwardly, and adjoining this plain, lies another, of the breadth of two miles, called the Shrub Oak Plain, on account of its being overspread with dwarfish shrub oaks few of which exceed four feet in elevation.
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