Fifteen new blue and yellow historical markers will soon serve as reminders of the places lost to the Great Sacandaga Lake when the reservoir was created in 1930.
The Great Sacandaga Lake Advisory Council, supported by Brookfield Renewable Power — the company that holds the license to generate power at the hydroelectric plant located at the Conklingville Dam in Hadley — paid Catskill Castings $16,000 to make the signs.
Last week, the group hosted an event to unveil the signs to the public before they were distributed among the towns for installation.
Among the signs is a tribute to Sport Island, which had a grandstand and ballpark on it and was accessible by footbridge from Sacandaga Park, which had a carousel, midway, bowling alley and roller skating rink. It was a tourist destination from the 1890s to the early 1920s.
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In 2017, the council produced a documentary about the reservoir called “Harnessing Nature, Building the Great Sacandaga.” It prompted a resurgence of interest in the area, which many only know as a summertime playground ringed with camps. Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts leveraged the interest with a proposal to have the markers made.
Locations:
1. Dam Built 1930: County Route 8 In front of gatehouse at the Conklingville Dam, Town of Hadley
2. Conklingville: Near the intersection of North Shore Road and Walter Maxfield Road in the Town of Day.
3. Day Center: Near the intersection of North Shore Road and Old Day Center Road, Town of Day.
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4. Huntsville: At the entrance to the Saratoga County Boat Launch, North Shore Road, Town of Day.
5. Historic Bridge: Western entrance to the Batchellerville Bridge, County Route 98 (Northville – Edinburg Road), Town of Edinburg.
6. The Spillway: At the edge of the small dam on South Main Street, Village of Northville.
7. Sacandaga Park (1): Corner of McKinley Ave. and County Route 152, Sacandaga Park, Town of Northampton
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8. Sport Island: Near Sport Island Pub Restaurant, Riverside Drive (Sacanadaga Park) Town of Northampton
9. Sacandaga Park (2): County Route 152 where it splits to go to Route 30. Sacandaga Park, Town of Northampton.
10. Osborn’s Bridge: Sharp turn on Bunker Hill Road Town of Northampton
11. Cranberry Creek: Near the end of Gilbert Road (where it turns to dirt), Town of Mayfield
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12. Mayfield Lake: At the entrance to the dam, School Street, Town of Mayfield
13. Munsonville: Intersection of Vandenburgh Point Road and the northern entrance of Highland Road, Town of Mayfield.
14. Benedict: Near intersection of South Shore Road (County Rt 110) and Benedict Loop Road, Town of Broadalbin
15. Old Fish House: Intersection of Old Fish House Road and South Shore Road (County Rt 110), Town of Northampton
— Leigh Hornbeck
This story was originally posted on TimesUnion.com. Photo provided, courtesy of the Albany Times Union
Thanks for this story. Any idea for where you can get full copy of the documentary. I tried the links to order it but they aren’t functioning. Thanks again.