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Catskill Road: Difference between revisions
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[[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png|go to]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png|go to]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Massachusetts]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[New York|New York]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] '''Catskill Road''' | [[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png|go to]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png|go to]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Massachusetts]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[New York|New York]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] '''Catskill Road''' | ||
Did an ancestor travel the '''Catskill Road''' of Massachusetts and New York? Learn about this settler migration route, its transportation history, and find related genealogy sources.<br><br>[[Image:{{CatskillRdmap}}]]__TOC__ | Did an ancestor travel the '''Catskill Road''' of Massachusetts and New York? Learn about this settler migration route, its transportation history, and find related genealogy sources.<br><br>[[Image:{{CatskillRdmap}}]]__TOC__ | ||
=== History === | === History === | ||
The '''Catskill Road''', also known as the '''''[[Catskill Turnpike]]''''', also known as the '''''Ancram Turnpike''''', was one of the most important early routes for migration out of New England into central New York. It was about a 100 mile (161 kilometer) pathway from Springfield, Massachusetts to Catskill, New York, via Ancram, New York. The route went westward from Springfield, Massachusetts toward the southwest corner of that state. It entered New York State near the town of Ancram and went thence northwest to the town of Catskill on the west bank of the Hudson River. From Catskill the highway was usually called the '''[[Catskill Turnpike]]''' and hugged the north edge of the Catskill Mountains running toward '''[[Unadilla, New York|Unadilla]]''' (formerly Wattle's Ferry) on the Susquehanna River, and beyond to [[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]] and [[Bath, New York]].<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'', 9th ed. (Logan, Utah: Everton Pub., 1999), pages 532 and M-48. {{WorldCat|48077118|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|740321|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 1999}}. This was one of the most important migration routes for early New England settlers who pioneered into central New York.</ref> | The '''Catskill Road''', also known as the '''''[[Catskill Turnpike]]''''', also known as the '''''Ancram Turnpike''''', was one of the most important early routes for migration out of New England into central New York. It was about a 100 mile (161 kilometer) pathway from Springfield, Massachusetts to Catskill, New York, via Ancram, New York. The route went westward from Springfield, Massachusetts toward the southwest corner of that state. It entered New York State near the town of Ancram and went thence northwest to the town of Catskill on the west bank of the Hudson River. From Catskill the highway was usually called the '''[[Catskill Turnpike]]''' and hugged the north edge of the Catskill Mountains running toward '''[[Unadilla, New York|Unadilla]]''' (formerly Wattle's Ferry) on the Susquehanna River, and beyond to [[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]] and [[Bath, New York]].<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'', 9th ed. (Logan, Utah: Everton Pub., 1999), pages 532 and M-48. {{WorldCat|48077118|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|740321|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 1999}}. This was one of the most important migration routes for early New England settlers who pioneered into central New York.</ref> | ||
The first major village began attracting European settlers into the Catskill area in 1745.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catskill_Mountains History of the Catskill Mountains] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 23 October 2014).</ref> The Catskill Road must have been in use before the stagecoach inn was established in 1798 on the old Catskill Road in Ancram. The inn was popular with drovers taking their cattle to the Hudson River for market.<ref>Catherine Tyler Brody, ''[http://gallatin-ny.org/content/History/Home/:field=documents;/content/Documents/File/1.pdf A Brief History of Gallatin]'', 4. (pdf accessed 23 October 2014).</ref> The [[Catskill Turnpike]] opened from Catskill to Unadilla, New York in 1804. The New York legislature in 1804 and 1805 approved the rival Salisbury Turnpike (via nearby Gallatin) and the Ancram Turnpike both for travel from Connecticut to the Hudson River.<ref>Isaac Huntting, ''History of the Little Nine Partners of North East Precinct and Pine Plains, New York, Dutchess County'' (Amenia, NY: Chas. Walsh, 1897), 99-101. [[http://books.google.com/books?id=hJwvAAAAYAAJ&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;dq=History%20of%20the%20Little%20Nine%20Partners&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;source=gbs_similarbooks Google Book edition]]</ref> The heyday of wagon roads into central New York was the early 1800s before the coming of the railroads in the 1840s and 1850s.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_and_Boston_Railroad Hudson and Boston Railroad]] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 23 October 2014).</ref> After the railroads arrived, wagon road travel declined sharply. | The first major village began attracting European settlers into the Catskill area in 1745.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catskill_Mountains History of the Catskill Mountains] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 23 October 2014).</ref> The Catskill Road must have been in use before the stagecoach inn was established in 1798 on the old Catskill Road in Ancram. The inn was popular with drovers taking their cattle to the Hudson River for market.<ref>Catherine Tyler Brody, ''[http://gallatin-ny.org/content/History/Home/:field=documents;/content/Documents/File/1.pdf A Brief History of Gallatin]'', 4. (pdf accessed 23 October 2014).</ref> The [[Catskill Turnpike]] opened from Catskill to Unadilla, New York in 1804. The New York legislature in 1804 and 1805 approved the rival Salisbury Turnpike (via nearby Gallatin) and the Ancram Turnpike both for travel from Connecticut to the Hudson River.<ref>Isaac Huntting, ''History of the Little Nine Partners of North East Precinct and Pine Plains, New York, Dutchess County'' (Amenia, NY: Chas. Walsh, 1897), 99-101. [[http://books.google.com/books?id=hJwvAAAAYAAJ&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;dq=History%20of%20the%20Little%20Nine%20Partners&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;source=gbs_similarbooks Google Book edition]]</ref> The heyday of wagon roads into central New York was the early 1800s before the coming of the railroads in the 1840s and 1850s.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_and_Boston_Railroad Hudson and Boston Railroad]] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 23 October 2014).</ref> After the railroads arrived, wagon road travel declined sharply. | ||
=== Route === | === Route === | ||
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There may have been two forks of the Catskill Road. New York State historical roadside markers show Ancram was connected by old turnpikes both to (a) Barrington, Massachusetts via Hillsdale (Nobletown), New York, and to (b) Salisbury, Connecticut.<ref>"36 Old Turnpike Road" and "37 Turnpike Road" in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_State_Historic_Markers_in_Columbia_County,_New_York List of New York State Historic Markers in Columbia County, New York] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 21 October 2014).</ref> Therefore, immigrants from Springfield could have chosen two main routes of similar length to arrive at Catskill: | There may have been two forks of the Catskill Road. New York State historical roadside markers show Ancram was connected by old turnpikes both to (a) Barrington, Massachusetts via Hillsdale (Nobletown), New York, and to (b) Salisbury, Connecticut.<ref>"36 Old Turnpike Road" and "37 Turnpike Road" in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_State_Historic_Markers_in_Columbia_County,_New_York List of New York State Historic Markers in Columbia County, New York] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 21 October 2014).</ref> Therefore, immigrants from Springfield could have chosen two main routes of similar length to arrive at Catskill: | ||
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" | {| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" width="100%" border="1" | ||
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| <center>'''Catskill Road possible northern route'''</center> | | <center>'''Catskill Road possible northern route'''</center> | ||
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:*the '''Canaan Southfield Road''' to Canaan, Connecticut. At Canaan turn west on | :*the '''Canaan Southfield Road''' to Canaan, Connecticut. At Canaan turn west on | ||
:*'''Church Street / US-44 W''' head southwest to Millerton, New York; there turn northwest on | :*'''Church Street / US-44 W''' head southwest to Millerton, New York; there turn northwest on | ||
:*'''N Elm Ave / NY-22''' which eventually becomes '''NY-82''' going past Livingston until it joins | :*'''N Elm Ave / NY-22''' which eventually becomes '''NY-82''' going past Livingston until it joins | ||
:*'''NY-23 / Claverack Road''' west bound over the Hudson River bridge into '''''Catskill, New York'''''. | :*'''NY-23 / Claverack Road''' west bound over the Hudson River bridge into '''''Catskill, New York'''''. | ||
=== Settler Records === | === Settler Records === | ||
No list is known to exist of migrating citizens who used the Catskill Road or Catskill Turnpike and decided to settle along it. However, many of the earliest settlers in the area would have used this road to reach their new home. The Catskill Road would have attracted nearby settlers because it helped them reach markets for buying and selling goods and services. Therefore, the land records, tax records, and histories of the earliest settlers along the route would list the names of people likely to have used the Catskill Road. | No list is known to exist of migrating citizens who used the Catskill Road or Catskill Turnpike and decided to settle along it. However, many of the earliest settlers in the area would have used this road to reach their new home. The Catskill Road would have attracted nearby settlers because it helped them reach markets for buying and selling goods and services. Therefore, the land records, tax records, and histories of the earliest settlers along the route would list the names of people likely to have used the Catskill Road. | ||
Settlers along the Catskill Road are most likely to have originally come from Massachusetts or Connecticut, especially areas near Springfield, Boston, or Hartford. | Settlers along the Catskill Road are most likely to have originally come from Massachusetts or Connecticut, especially areas near Springfield, Boston, or Hartford. | ||
=== Sources === | === Sources === | ||