MADISON COUNTY TRANSPORTATION HIGHLIGHTS

1790–1850

Compiled in 1969 from notes by Mary K. Meyer

1790

Wadsworth opened a road through to the Genesee country–average progress was 12 miles per day

 1794–95

Great Genesee Road was “worked and materially improved by the State Government”

1797 or 8

State appropriated $13,000 to improve road from Ft. Schuyler (Utica) to Geneva—local inhabitants also subscribed work. The road was opened 64 feet wide, paved with logs and gravel in the moist parts.

1797

Stage service from Albany to Geneva started by John House and Thomas Powell (horseback). They were tavern keepers in Utica and Geneva

1800

Seneca Turnpike Co. chartered to improve the road. The company was required to construct a road six rods wide from Utica to Canandaigua; 25 ft of it in the center, was to be covered with gravel, or broken stone, to the depth of 15”. They were permitted to place gates at intervals of ten miles and exact tolls of 121/2 cents for two-horse teams, and 25-cents for four-horse teams. Its charter was amended in 1801, so as to allow the company to change the direction of the road, and thus avoid Canaseraga and Onondaga Hills (see p. 81 Smith History of Chenango & Madison Counties) 

1800

Wagon used to transport mail—Mr. Lucas

1803

Cherry Valley Turnpike—through Cazenovia to Manlius. First 4-horse mail coach went through once each week. According to Hedrick’s History of Agriculture in NYS, in 1803 Jason Parker and Levi Stephen were given a charter for a road from Utica westward, and in 1804 their charter was extended and right strengthened to the exclusion of all other roads from Utica to Canandaigua for 20 years. By the terms of the charter there was to be 2 stages a week, making the through trip in 24 hours, the charge to be not more than 5 cents a mile.

1804

Road from Peterboro to Cazenovia

1806

Skaneateles Turnpike–not finished for several years

1808

Daily stage line established

1812

Peterboro Road from Hamilton to Canastota

1813

Madison County Turnpike and Cazenovia & Chittenango Turnpike Companies incorporated on the west side of Chittenango Creek

1820

 Middle section of the Erie Canal finished—94 miles. Side cut canal to Chittenango also finished

1829

Madison Country Railroad incorporated, but never constructed

(Yates died in 1835)

1831

Chittenango–New Woodstock stage traveled three times a week with daily runs to Cazenovia and back.

1835

 Road built across the “fly” to Lakeport

1836

Syracuse & Utica Railroads incorporated—May 11, 1836, started to operate in July, 1839

1849 

Plank Roads:     Cazenovia to Chittenango extended to Oneida Lake

                             Chittenango to Peterboro, via Perryville

                             Canaseraga to Chittenango

1850

Plank road from Utica to Syracuse, with extension of road through Manlius Center by way of Hartsville to Chittenango

Contributed by Sandra B. Wilsey, November 17, 2008