Unadilla River
Encyclopedia
The Unadilla River in New York
State flows 71 miles (114.3 km) from south of Utica
to the village of Sidney
, where it flows into the Susquehanna River
, which eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay
, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean
.
Most of the length of the Unadilla forms the western border of Otsego County
and the eastern borders of Chenango
and Madison
Counties. This border made up a significant portion of the Fort Stanwix Treaty Line of 1768
.
on the Otsego-Madison County border.
, from north to south, include:
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...
State flows 71 miles (114.3 km) from south of Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
to the village of Sidney
Sidney (village), New York
Sidney is a village in Delaware County, New York, USA. The population was 4,068 at the 2000 census.The Village of Sidney is in west part of the Town of Sidney.-History:The village was named for Admiral Sir Sidney Smith.-Geography:...
, where it flows into the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
, which eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Most of the length of the Unadilla forms the western border of Otsego County
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
and the eastern borders of Chenango
Chenango County, New York
Chenango County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 50,477. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning "large bull-thistle." Its county seat is Norwich.-History:...
and Madison
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
Counties. This border made up a significant portion of the Fort Stanwix Treaty Line of 1768
Treaty of Fort Stanwix
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was an important treaty between North American Indians and the British Empire. It was signed in 1768 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York...
.
Branches
The Unadilla has two branches which join at Unadilla ForksUnadilla Forks, New York
Unadilla Forks is a hamlet in the Town of Plainfield in Otsego County, New York, United States, at the confluence of the two branches of the Unadilla River on the Otsego-Madison County border....
on the Otsego-Madison County border.
- The main branch of the Unadilla starts at Unadilla Lake, at Miller's Mills in southwestern Herkimer CountyHerkimer County, New YorkHerkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
.
- The West Branch of the Unadilla starts a few miles north of BridgewaterBridgewater, New YorkBridgewater is the name of both a town in New York State and a village within that town:*Bridgewater , New York*Bridgewater , New York....
in southeast Oneida CountyOneida County, New YorkOneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
. This branch was known as Eghwagy Creek during the early 18th century.
Tributaries
The Unadilla's tributariesTributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
, from north to south, include:
- Campbell Brook: from the east, near the Skaneateles TurnpikeSkaneateles TurnpikeThe Skaneateles Turnpike was an east west turnpike in Central New York State.It roughly paralleled the Cherry Valley Turnpike, part of the Great Western Turnpike system The Skaneateles Turnpike was an east west turnpike in Central New York State.It roughly paralleled the Cherry Valley Turnpike,...
north of LeonardsvilleLeonardsville, New YorkLeonardsville is a hamlet on the Unadilla River in the Town of Brookfield in Madison County, New York, USA.The community started as a number of small factories deriving power from a dam on the Unadilla River during the first decade of the 19th century... - Button Creek: from the west, between Leonardsville and West EdmestonWest Edmeston, New YorkWest Edmeston is a hamlet on the Unadilla River on the border the Town of Brookfield in Madison County, New York and the Town of Edmeston in Otsego County, New York.-History:...
- Beaver Creek: from the west, between South Brookfield and Columbus Quarter
- Tallette Creek: from the west, near Columbus Quarter
- Showler Brook: from the west, north of New BerlinNew Berlin, New YorkNew Berlin, New York is the name of two locations in Chenango County, New York:*New Berlin , New York*New Berlin , New York...
- Wharton Creek: from the east, at New Berlin
- Butternut Creek: from the east, near Mount UptonMount Upton, New YorkMount Upton is a hamlet on the Unadilla River in the town of Guilford in Chenango County, New York, United States....
- Guilford Creek: from the west, north of SidneySidney (village), New YorkSidney is a village in Delaware County, New York, USA. The population was 4,068 at the 2000 census.The Village of Sidney is in west part of the Town of Sidney.-History:The village was named for Admiral Sir Sidney Smith.-Geography:...
Alternate names and spellings
Unadilla has had various spellings and alternate names, particularly in the 18th century:- Che-on-a-dill-ha: Oneida dialect
- Teyonadelhouogh: Gideon Hawley, Journey to Broome County, Oquaga (Onaheghgwage), 1753
- Tiona-derha: Guy Johnson]]'s 1768 map
- Tienaderha: Guy Johnson's 1771 map and Southeir's 1779 map
- Tianaderaha: Surveyor-General, Simeon De WittSimeon De WittSimeon De Witt was Geographer and Surveyor General of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and Surveyor General of the State of New York for the fifty years from 1784 until his death.-Life:He was one of fourteen children of physician Dr...
's map c.CircaCirca , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1790 - Tianaderha: Fort Stanwix Treaty of 1768
- Tunadilla: Common spelling 18th century correspondence
- SusquehannockSusquehannockThe Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
: Vaughan's 18th century Chorographical Map