Mohawk Towpath Byway
Encyclopedia
The Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway is a National Scenic Byway
in the Capital District region of New York
, United States
. It extends from Schenectady
to Waterford
by way of a series of local, county, and state highways along the Mohawk River
and the Erie Canal
. The Byway tells the story of the waterway west and its many layers of history from native American times, through Erie Canal and the role our communities played in the industrial revolution and the westward expansion of the country.
Built on local grass roots enthusiasm the Byway was added to the network of New York State Scenic Byways in July 2003. It gained the designation as one of America's Byways in September 2005. The name is derived from the River and Native American people. "Towpath" comes from that period of canal history when canal vessels moved principally by draft animals, mostly mules, that pulled craft from the path atop the side berm of the canal.
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
in the Capital District region of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It extends from Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
to Waterford
Waterford (village), New York
Waterford is a village in Saratoga County, New York, USA. The population was 2,204 at the 2000 census. The name derives from the ford between the mainland and Peebles Island....
by way of a series of local, county, and state highways along the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
and the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
. The Byway tells the story of the waterway west and its many layers of history from native American times, through Erie Canal and the role our communities played in the industrial revolution and the westward expansion of the country.
Built on local grass roots enthusiasm the Byway was added to the network of New York State Scenic Byways in July 2003. It gained the designation as one of America's Byways in September 2005. The name is derived from the River and Native American people. "Towpath" comes from that period of canal history when canal vessels moved principally by draft animals, mostly mules, that pulled craft from the path atop the side berm of the canal.
See also
- New York State Highway Law, Section349-dd as amended by Chapter 138 of the Laws of 2003.
- Daily Gazette, Mohawk Path Gets Federal Designation, by Pam Allen, 9/27/2003.
- Times Union, Historic Citation for Road, by Dennis Yusko, 9/27/2005.
- Community News, Mohawk Towpath Receives National Designation at Washington Ceremony, by Glenn Griffith, 9/30/2005.
- Mohawk Towpath Byway Corridor Management Plan, 2003.
- http://www.mohawktowpath.org/