Sloat's Dam and Mill Pond
Encyclopedia
Sloat's Dam and Mill Pond is located between Waldron Terrace and Ballard Avenue in Sloatsburg
, New York, United States. The 200-foot–long (60 m) concrete dam creates the mill pond
north of it by impounding the Ramapo River
.
It was created by Stephen Sloat in 1792, and renovated two decades later. It was the earliest of three dams on the river in today's Rockland County
that supported milling
operations; today it is the only one that remains mostly intact, although the mill shut down after a mid-20th century fire. In 2000 it and several accessory structures were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, is 200 feet (60 m) long, four feet (1.1 m) high at its highest and about as wide. It is of concrete
covering the original stonework
. At the west end of the dam is a stone sluice
gate at the end of a mill race
. The mill pond itself is a popular local fishing
hole.
At the southwest corner of the parcel are the remaining stone gatepost
s from the Brown Estate, which included the entire mill property during the early 20th century. They are located just off Station Road, next to an electrical substation
just east of the train station
. There is a historical marker
nearby as they are the most visible component of the listing.
The gateposts had no direct connection to the mills. They are considered a contributing resource
to the Register listing due to their age and the similarity of their stonework to contemporaneous renovations to the mill structures. Little remains of the actual mill buildings, which were mostly razed in the 1960s, and what does is not considered contributing.
and tannery
. Two other millers soon followed, above and below the present dam. Sloat's son Jacob reinforced the dam with concrete in 1815 before expanding the mill to produce textiles.
His business prospered, helped in later decades by the nearby route of the New York and Erie Railroad, and he expanded the mill several times before retiring in 1851. The Sloatsburg Manufacturing Company, which took over from him, again expanded the mill six years later, in 1857.
In 1878 it went bankrupt
as a delayed result of the Panic of 1873
. A new owner, William McCullough, took it over four years later and began producing silk
. Around 1900 the mill became part of the property of Cappamore, the estate
of Nicholas Brown, which overlooked Sloatsburg from the east. The stone gateposts were built at this time. Shortly afterwards, the flood of 1903, which wiped out the other two dams in the area, severely damaged the mill's infrastructure and it had to shut down.
The Ramapo Piece and Dye Works took over in 1907 and made the first renovations in nearly a century. They built the stone sluice gate on the site of the original wooden one, in cobblestone
similar to that used on the gateposts. At this time it seems that they also shored up the dam.
In 1931, what was now called the Ramapo Finishing Company tore down
the older sections of the factory. They continued to use the rest of it until it was severely damaged in a 1955 fire. The year after, Cappamore was demolished as part of the Thruway construction. The remaining mill buildings themselves were leveled in 1966 for a redevelopment that was never completed and the race was filled in after a drowned
death in the remaining water.
The mill property, and some other riverfront acreage, was acquired by the county in ther late 20th century. It and the Sloatsburg Historical Society have been working to develop it as part of the 45 acres (18.2 ha) Eleanor Burlingham Memorial Park, meant primarily for passive recreation. Currently there is the marker at the gateposts and a short walking trail to the dam from there.
Sloatsburg, New York
Sloatsburg is a village in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located east of Orange County, New York and sits at the southern entrance to Harriman State Park. The population was 3,117 at the 2000 census...
, New York, United States. The 200-foot–long (60 m) concrete dam creates the mill pond
Mill pond
A mill pond is any body of water used as a reservoir for a water-powered mill. Mill ponds were often created through the construction of a mill dam across a waterway. In many places, the common proper name Mill Pond name has remained even though the mill has long since gone...
north of it by impounding the Ramapo River
Ramapo River
The Ramapo River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 30 mi long, in southern New York and northern New Jersey in the United States.-Course:...
.
It was created by Stephen Sloat in 1792, and renovated two decades later. It was the earliest of three dams on the river in today's Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
that supported milling
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
operations; today it is the only one that remains mostly intact, although the mill shut down after a mid-20th century fire. In 2000 it and several accessory structures were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Property
The dam, mill pond and associated structures are located within a 15 acres (6.1 ha) rectangular area owned by the county. Most of that land is covered by the mill pond. The dam itself, located just west of Waldron Terrace where it runs parallel to the New York State ThruwayNew York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
, is 200 feet (60 m) long, four feet (1.1 m) high at its highest and about as wide. It is of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
covering the original stonework
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
. At the west end of the dam is a stone sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
gate at the end of a mill race
Mill race
A mill race, raceway or mill lade is the current or channel of a stream, especially one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy...
. The mill pond itself is a popular local fishing
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
hole.
At the southwest corner of the parcel are the remaining stone gatepost
Gatepost
A gatepost is a structure used to support gates or crossbars which control entry to an area, such as a field or driveway.- Purpose :If the gatepost is utilitarian in purpose then gateposts will be made as strictly functional structures; however as part of the 'advertisement' of the status of the...
s from the Brown Estate, which included the entire mill property during the early 20th century. They are located just off Station Road, next to an electrical substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
just east of the train station
Sloatsburg (Metro-North station)
The Sloatsburg Metro-North station serves the residents of Sloatsburg, New York, via Port Jervis Line commuter trains to New York City via Hoboken, away, and Secaucus Junction. The estimated travel time to Hoboken Terminal is about 50 minutes on express trains. It is the least-developed station...
. There is a historical marker
Historical marker
A historical marker or historic marker is an indicator such as a plaque or sign to commemorate an event or person of historic interest and to associate that point of interest with a specific locale one can visit.-Description:...
nearby as they are the most visible component of the listing.
The gateposts had no direct connection to the mills. They are considered a contributing resource
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
to the Register listing due to their age and the similarity of their stonework to contemporaneous renovations to the mill structures. Little remains of the actual mill buildings, which were mostly razed in the 1960s, and what does is not considered contributing.
History
Isaac Sloat, son of original Sloatsburg settler William, built the original stone dam across the Ramapo in 1792 to power a sawmillSawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
and tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
. Two other millers soon followed, above and below the present dam. Sloat's son Jacob reinforced the dam with concrete in 1815 before expanding the mill to produce textiles.
His business prospered, helped in later decades by the nearby route of the New York and Erie Railroad, and he expanded the mill several times before retiring in 1851. The Sloatsburg Manufacturing Company, which took over from him, again expanded the mill six years later, in 1857.
In 1878 it went bankrupt
Bankruptcy in the United States
Bankruptcy in the United States is governed under the United States Constitution which authorizes Congress to enact "uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States." Congress has exercised this authority several times since 1801, most recently by adopting the Bankruptcy...
as a delayed result of the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
. A new owner, William McCullough, took it over four years later and began producing silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
. Around 1900 the mill became part of the property of Cappamore, the estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
of Nicholas Brown, which overlooked Sloatsburg from the east. The stone gateposts were built at this time. Shortly afterwards, the flood of 1903, which wiped out the other two dams in the area, severely damaged the mill's infrastructure and it had to shut down.
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
similar to that used on the gateposts. At this time it seems that they also shored up the dam.
In 1931, what was now called the Ramapo Finishing Company tore down
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
the older sections of the factory. They continued to use the rest of it until it was severely damaged in a 1955 fire. The year after, Cappamore was demolished as part of the Thruway construction. The remaining mill buildings themselves were leveled in 1966 for a redevelopment that was never completed and the race was filled in after a drowned
Drowning
Drowning is death from asphyxia due to suffocation caused by water entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia....
death in the remaining water.
The mill property, and some other riverfront acreage, was acquired by the county in ther late 20th century. It and the Sloatsburg Historical Society have been working to develop it as part of the 45 acres (18.2 ha) Eleanor Burlingham Memorial Park, meant primarily for passive recreation. Currently there is the marker at the gateposts and a short walking trail to the dam from there.