Diagrams of Stations, Showing Direction of Points Observed
Cover of Verplanck Colvin’s Diagrams of Stations fieldbook.
Verplanck Colvin’s Diagrams of Stations fieldbook’s index, listing each signal station in the book from page two to page fifty-one. Page one is not included.
Page two of Verplanck Colvin’s Diagrams of Stations Fieldbook’s index, listing stations in the book from pages fifty-two to fifty-five.
The signal station on Mount Anthony in Hadley, Saratoga County and the adjacent sections of the Hudson River and the Sacandaga River, no date given. Geographic north and directions to local landmarks via the azimuth are depicted. There are notes on the right side about how to obtain unobstructed views at the summit of the area around Mount Anthony. This page is not listed in the index.
The signal station on Azure Mountain in Waverly, Franklin County, dated December 12, 1882 (“Mt. Azure” and “Blue Peak of St. Regis” according to Colvin.) Magnetic north(?) and directions to nearby mountains are given, as well as to a “Trout Lake,” but the angle suggests Lake Ozonia in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County. (There is a Trout Lake by Lake George.) S.H. Snell took the measurements (“S.S. Snell” [sic] on the page.).
Pre-printed diagram of a signal tower (stan-helio) with Albany Mountain written at top. There is no Albany Mountain in the Adirondacks, but this may be referring to Baldface Mountain in Minerva, Essex County. No other information is given. See also pp.3-A, 4.
Front: The signal station on Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain in Minerva, Essex County, dated 1882. What appears to be magnetic north is indicated, and directions to about forty landmarks are provided. No local topography is depicted. S.H. Snell (“S.S. Snell” [sic] took the measurements.) Back: Data from Stillwater (i.e., Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain). Directions to several landmarks are provided, including West Mountain and Blue Mountain. See pp.3-4.
Front: The signal station on Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain in Minerva, Essex County, dated 1882. What appears to be magnetic north is indicated, and directions to about forty landmarks are provided. No local topography is depicted. S.H. Snell (“S.S. Snell” [sic] took the measurements.) Back: Data from Stillwater (i.e., Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain). Directions to several landmarks are provided, including West Mountain and Blue Mountain. See pp.3, 4.
Simple diagram of the “Albany Mountain” signal station showing magnetic north and directions to landmarks in the northeast quadrant, including Wolf Mountain and Graves Mountain. The diagram is not dated. See also pp.3, 3-A.
Signal station on Black Mountain in Dresden, Washington County, dated 1881. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are indicated, and no directions to landmarks are provided. The diagram depicts the footprint of the station.
Signal station on “Constitution Mountain,” probably Potash Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County, dated 1878. Magnetic north is indicated, oriented toward the upper right of the page. The direction to Prospect Mountain is shown. See also p.7.
Signal station on Constitution Mountain, possibly 1878. The drawing is extremely rough, with very simple renderings of mountains that are poorly labeled, though two are labeled Mt. Constitution and Cobble Hill, their spatial arrangement suggesting that Mt. Constitution may be Kenyon Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County (Assuming that “Cobble Hill” is present-day Cobble Mountain. There is also a Cobble Hill in Essex County.). There are notes on the back giving directions to nearby landmarks. See also pp.6, 6-B.
An extremely rough sketch of Potash Kettle, which may be an elevation on the east bank of the Hudson River in Lake Luzerne, Warren County, dated "June 1st," but no year given. The drawing is too crude to be certain about the location. There are notes about Pharaoh Mountain in Schroon, Essex County on the back of the page.
The signal station on Mount Constitution (a.k.a. Constitution Mountain, possibly Kenyon Mountain), either in Lake Luzerne or Lake George, Warren County, no date given. Directions to the following landmarks, among others, are given: West Mountain, Twin Mountain, and Potash Mountain. There is a note to the right describing conditions at the summit of Mount Constitution. See also pp.6, 6-A.
Signal station at Croghan hamlet in Croghan, Lewis County, dated May 1883. The station was apparently located at a hotel there that no longer exists. Magnetic north is indicated, and directions to the following landmarks and towns are given: Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Martinsburg, Lowville, King Hill, Belfort, Champion Hill, Rutland, Carthage. S.H. Snell (misidentified as “S.S. Snell”) took the measurements. See also p.9.
Diagrams of two signal stations by S.H. Snell: Carthage Hill exact location unknown, but somewhere to the north of Carthage, Jefferson County), and Croghan Hotel in Croghan, Lewis County, dated March 1883. Both diagrams indicate magnetic north, and directions to the following landmarks are given: Rutland Hill, Carthage, Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Stillwater, Champion Hill, Lowville, Martinsburg, King Hill, Belfort. See also p.8.
Front: Signal station at Carthage Hill, probably in Wilna, Jefferson County, dated May 1883. Magnetic north is indicated, and there are directions to the following landmarks: Stillwater Mountain, Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Carthage, and Rutland Hill. No local topography is depicted. The measurements were taken by S.H. Snell. Back: Reverse of page ten, apparently a triangulation of the Carthage Hill signal station with two other landmarks, according to the index, but the page is not labeled.
Front: Signal station at Carthage Hill, probably in Wilna, Jefferson County, dated May 1883. Magnetic north is indicated, and there are directions to the following landmarks: Stillwater Mountain, Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Carthage, and Rutland Hill. No local topography is depicted. The measurements were taken by S.H. Snell. Back: Reverse of page ten, apparently a triangulation of the Carthage Hill signal station with two other landmarks, according to the index, but the page is not labeled.
Signal station at Caldwell, today Lake George, Warren County, dated October 21, 1881. The diagram depicts geographic north (true meridian) and magnetic north (magnetic meridian), as well as local magnetic declination. Directions are given to Black Mountain and Buck Mountain in Fort Ann and Dresden, Washington County, respectively, giving angles from both the true and magnetic meridians, and the angular distance between each other. Mills Blake took the measurement.
Front: The signal station on Gomer Hill in Turin, Lewis County, not dated, but possibly 1882. The diagram’s scale is 1:2,000. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination recorded. No directions to landmarks are provided. The diagram shows the top of Gomer Hill and its steep sides, which are divided into four lots: Lot 67 (Lands of Thomas E. Pritchard), Lot 68, Lot 75 (Lands of Evan Evens), and Lot 76. A note at bottom reads: HIGHWAY From Turin Village traverses these lots. Back: A diagram showing how the Gomer Hill station was constructed is provided with two brief notes.
Front: The signal station on Gomer Hill in Turin, Lewis County, not dated, but possibly 1882. The diagram’s scale is 1:2,000. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination recorded. No directions to landmarks are provided. The diagram shows the top of Gomer Hill and its steep sides, which are divided into four lots: Lot 67 (Lands of Thomas E. Pritchard), Lot 68, Lot 75 (Lands of Evan Evens), and Lot 76. A note at bottom reads: HIGHWAY From Turin Village traverses these lots. Back: A diagram showing how the Gomer Hill station was constructed is provided with two brief notes.
A signal station on Mount Manning, dated 1878. There is no Mount Manning in the Adirondacks today, but based on angles to nearby landmarks, the station was probably in Saranac, Clinton County. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided. The diagram includes the footprint of the station. Directions to about two dozen landmarks are given, including: Lyon Mountain, Norway Mountain, Whiteface Mountain, Chateaugay Lake, St. Regis Mountain, and Blake Mountain.
Written account by Colvin of a survey of the boundaries of Griffith Jones’ property in Steuben, Oneida County beginning from the Penn Mountain signal station.
The Penn Mountain signal station in Steuben, Oneida County, dated January 30, 1886. Magnetic north is indicated, but there are no directions to landmarks. The diagram depicts Lots 10, 11, 19, and 20 of the Steuben Patent. A note at top reads: “This Signal determines the Geographical position of the Stuben [sic] patent (Central portion). The South East Corner of Lot No. 10 in Stuben [sic] patent is 4 chains (66 ft each) and 74 link. (100 to the chain) East of the point where the magnetic meridian of the Signal strikes the south line of the lot (No. 10) which S. line is 0.175 Chain S of Signal on bearings as given below V.C.” This area may have been previously surveyed in 1787.
Signal station on “Potash Kettle Mountain” (now Potash Mountain) in Lake Luzerne, Warren County. No date is given, but possibly July 1879 according to CACI. Both magnetic north and geographic north are indicated, directions to landmarks are given, including Prospect Mountain (“Prospect Hill”), Cobble Hill, and Antonio Mountain. Thomas Mountain, Eddy Mountain and Gailey Hill to the west are drawn. The Hudson River to the west is also depicted, as is a “Luzerne Brook,” now Stewart Brook. See also p.16.
Signal stations on Potash Kettle Mountain, probably present-day Potash Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County. No date is given, but possibly July 1879, according to CACI. Magnetic north is indicated, and there are directions to several landmarks, most notably Prospect Mountain. See also p.15.
The signal station on Pharaoh Mountain in Schroon, Essex County, dated 1880 (measurement possibly in November). The footprint of the station is depicted, and directions to about two dozen landmarks are given, including Dix Mountain, Gore Mountain, Mount Marcy, Potash Mountain, and Vanderwhacker Mountain. A note at top reads: “Diagram showing the Copper bolt, Station mark (No. 64) the iron ring-bolts and the direction of the various Signals (N.B. Three drill holes near Copper bolt mark feet of Tripod. Theod).”
Diagram of how the Potash Kettle Mountain signal station in Lake Luzerne, Warren County was constructed.
Side view of a granite post set into the ground, location unknown. It is unclear if this diagram is related to 17-A. A note reads: Set by H.K. Averill Jr. 1883.
Footprint of the signal station depicted on page 17.
Signal station on Raven Hill in Elizabethtown, Essex County, no date given. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and directions to nearby landmarks are provided, including: Bald Peak, Hurricane Mountain, and Giant Mountain (Giant of the Valley). The station’s footprint is drawn, as are boundaries of lots on the hill. “Meridian Lines” is written above the entire diagram.
Signal station on the Silver Lake Mountains in Black Brook, Clinton County, dated 1878. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are indicated, but there are directions to nearby landmarks, including Mount Manning (see p.13), Clayburgh, and Whiteface Mountain. Colvin identifies the station as both as Silver Mountain and Silver Lk Mt.
Signal station at Vanderwhacker Mountain (Colvin renders it Mount VanDeWhacker) mainly in Minerva, Essex County, but also partly in Newcomb, dated 1880. Only geographic north is depicted, as are directions to thirty-two landmarks, including Black Mountain, Dix Mountain, Gore Mountain, and Pharoah Mountain, as well as the town line.
Sketch of the general vicinity of Vanderwhacker Mountain in Minerva, Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1880, 1884, or 1895, according to CACI. The diagram is a large fold-out sheet depicting several other potential signal stations, with notes about their suitability for surveying.
Nearly blank piece of paper with illegible writing at top associated with page 19-A: Sketch of the general vicinity of Vanderwhacker Mountain in Minerva, Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1880, 1884, or 1895, according to CACI. The diagram is a large fold-out sheet depicting several other potential signal stations, with notes about their suitability for surveying.
Signal station in Westport, Essex County, dated 1881. No directions to landmarks are provided, but adjacent lots are depicted.
The signal station at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, Essex County, dated 1877. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided. Directions to about thirty landmarks are provided, including Black Mountain, Giant Mountain, Hurricane Mountain, Lyon Mountain, Mount Marcy, Mount Morris, Rand Hill, and Saint Regis Mountain.
Diagram of the signal station at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, Essex County, dated 1877. The “eccentricity observed” at the station is depicted, but it is unclear what this means.
Signal station on Woodhull Mountain in Webb, Herkimer County, probably 1885. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided (dated 1885). The footprint of the station is depicted, but no directions to landmarks are given.
Diagram of the signal station on Woodhull Mountain in Webb, Herkimer County, probably from 1885, that depicts the station’s footprint, an adjacent boulder, and describes the characteristics of local rock (gneissoid rock) and soil (humus). Notes on the margin include: First solar transit and magnetic station 1882-1885, and Flat rock old Camp ground.
Page is blank except for a note at bottom that reads: Diagram accompanying report of D.M. Arnold 1878, showing location of boundary line between the Counties of Essex and Washington. See page 23-A.
Sketch of the northern end of Lake George. It is oriented so that east is at the top, with Essex County to the left, Washington County at the top right, and Warren County at the bottom right. A horizontal arrow at bottom shows what appears to be magnetic north. A Black Point is identified on the Essex County side, which appears to be a small peninsula just north of the Essex County/Washington County line in the town of Ticonderoga. No other survey information is given.
Sketch of the southern half of Schroon Lake, showing the location of the signal station at Pitkin’s Point (now Taylors Point) in Horicon, Warren County, dated June 1, 1878. Adjacent hills are depicted, with elevations given using the lake surface as a local datum. Acker Brook and the mouth of the Schroon River are also shown. Neither geographic nor magnetic north are given, nor any directions to nearby landmarks. There is an instruction to see a note on back.
Note about landmarks around Schroon Lake. See p.24-front: Sketch of the southern half of Schroon Lake, showing the location of the signal station at Pitkin’s Point (now Taylors Point) in Horicon, Warren County, dated June 1, 1878. Adjacent hills are depicted, with elevations given using the lake surface as a local datum. Acker Brook and the mouth of the Schroon River are also shown. Neither geographic nor magnetic north are given, nor any directions to nearby landmarks. There is an instruction to see a note on back.
The signal station at Sageville, now the village of Lake Pleasant, in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County, no date given. Both geographic north and magnetic north are said to be given, but only an arrow indicating geographic north is visible. There are also directions to other landmarks, including Hamilton Mountain (identified as Mt. Hamilton). Two nearby roads are also depicted. The station lay forty feet to the east of a Call’s Hotel.
Sketch of a theodolite station on the west bank of Lake Pleasant’s outlet into the Sacandaga River just west of Speculator in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right (indicated by a geographic north arrow) and the Sacandaga River flows to the bottom of the page. Directions to nearby landmarks are given, a bridge over the river is drawn, and there is a note describing the location of the station. See also pp.27-29.
Sketch of the North Terminus of the West Base signal station, probably on the west shore of Lake Pleasant in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County, at the mouth of a stream running from Sacandaga Lake. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The diagram is oriented such that geographic north is at the bottom of the page (magnetic north is not given). The stream is labeled Inlet from Round Lake, Round Lake being an alternate name for Sacandaga Lake in the nineteenth century. A baseline is drawn running thirty degrees east of due south 3,509 feet to the South Terminus on Lake Pleasant’s east shore (p.28). A note states that Colvin and his assistant George Burton took the measurement, but no date is given. Burton’s house lies to the right (south) of the river. See also pp.26, 28-29.
Sketch of the South Terminus of the West Base signal station on the southeast shore of Lake Pleasant in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The South Terminus is marked by an iron nail lodged in a living maple tree fifteen feet from shore. A baseline is drawn running for 3,509 feet thirty degrees west of geographic north. Bushes and trees are also depicted. A note identifies Verplanck Colvin and George Burton as the surveyors. See also pp.26-27, 29.
Sketch of the North Base signal station in Sacandaga Lake in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). North Base is located on a giant granite boulder just south of an island in the lake. A baseline runs for 6,554.9 feet twenty-eight degrees east of geographic south to South Base (see p.30), and a line shows the direction of the magnetic station near Call’s Hotel in Sageville/Lake Pleasant (see p.25). See also pp.26-28.
Sketch of the South Base signal station on Sacandaga Lake in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but is possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The station is located on a granite boulder on the lake’s southeastern shore, forty-eight feet north of a large pine tree (another boulder is in between). A baseline runs 6,554.9 feet twenty-eight degrees west of geographic north to North Base. (See p. 29.) A note at bottom right reads: “The centre of the Station at “South Base” Sacondaga [sic] Lake is marked by a drill hole in rock with cut around it. Measured by V. Colvin.” “Manley Boat house” is written along the left side.
Sketch of the signal station in the village of Elizabethtown in Elizabethtown, Essex County, dated June 18, 1880. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided. A baseline runs 549.65 feet southwest from the station. Directions to three landmarks are given: Cobble Hill, Hurricane Mountain, and Raven Hill.
Diagram of the signal station in the village of Elizabethtown in Elizabethtown, Essex County, dated June 18, 1880, centered on Main Street and oriented such that south is to the right of the page. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north is explicitly indicated. The signal station is identified by the letter A, and several other nearby points are identified by the letters B to K. The distances between signal station and all the other points are listed at the bottom of the page. There are no directions to distant landmarks.
Sketch of the signal station at Keene Valley in Keene, Essex County, dated June 17, 1880. Both geographic north and magnetic north are identified, and the local magnetic declination (variation of magnetic needle) is provided. Directions to the following landmarks are given: Hurricane Mountain, Giant Mountain (Giant of the Valley), Dix Mountain, Rooster’s Comb, and Porter Mountain. Buildings in Keene Valley are drawn.
Sketch of the signal station on the summit of Giant Mountain in Keene, Essex County, depicting several lots on and around the mountain at a scale of two hundred feet to the inch, dated June 22, 1881. The diagram includes a triangulation from the summit to another station 783.22 feet down the mountain to the northwest, then back up 784.24 feet to a point forty feet northeast of the summit station. Several other compass and transit lines cross the diagram, but no directions to landmarks are given. See also pp.34-36.
Measurements of the boundary line between the Old Military Tract and the Roaring Brook Tract on Giant Mountain in Keene, Essex County, dated June 22, 1881. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right. There are no directions to landmarks, but there is a rough depiction of the topography in the background.
Several trigonomic computations for the measurements on page 34-front: Measurements of the boundary line between the Old Military Tract and the Roaring Brook Tract on Giant Mountain in Keene, Essex County, dated June 22, 1881. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right. There are no directions to landmarks, but there is a rough depiction of the topography in the background. See also pp.33, 35-36.
Sketch of the terminus of a transit line run by Colvin from the Westport signal station in Westport, Essex County to the eastern shore of Upper Preston Pond in Newcomb, Essex County, dated 1881. The transit line serves as the border between the Old Military Tract to the north and the Totten and Crossfield Purchase to the south. Geographic north is indicated at three points along the transit line. Local topography and vegetation are noted, but there are no directions to landmarks. See also pp.33-34, 36.
Boundary line between the Van Benthuysen/Gore and Totten and Crossfield Purchase tracts on the west shore of Upper Preston Pond in Newcomb, Essex County, dated 1881. The scale is 1:2,000. The copper bolt of the signal station is on a boulder on the west side of the diagram. A “sub-baseline” is drawn off of “Snell’s Post” to the northeast (other end not depicted). See also pp.33-35.
Sketch of the copper bolt monument shown on page 36-front. The bolt is set into a (granite?) boulder with two other boulders nearby, apparently 70.2 feet from the east shore of Upper Preston Pond at an azimuth angle. See also pp.33-35.
Colvin’s measurements for the northern boundary of a Lot 35, whose location is unknown, dated 1892. The measurements are in stadia (1 stadium=607 feet). This may be a drawing of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase (see p.35).
Sketch of Lot 21 and Lot 22 in Township No. 35 (county unknown) in the Totten and Crossfield Purchase, dated 1892. The diagram is oriented such that magnetic north is at the bottom of the page and to the right.
Simple diagram of a signal station at corner lots 21 and 22 of the Woodruff Track TWP35 at the Totten and Crossfield Purchase (see p.35).
Simple diagram of a signal station at corner lots 21 and 22 of the Woodruff Track TWP35 at the Totten and Crossfield Purchase (see p.35).
Sketch of a signal station at Dorrity or Wolf Rock, exact location unknown, but somewhere almost due west of Potash Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County, no date given. The station is named Tertiary Signal No.5. What appears to be magnetic north is given, as are directions to seventeen nearby landmarks.
Sketch of the Deers Leap Hill (now Deer Leap Mountain) signal station (Signal No. 6) in Stony Creek, Warren County, dated September 27, 1879. Geographic north is indicated, and directions to thirty nearby landmarks are given. The measurements may have been taken by D.M. Arnold, whose name is on the page.
Sketch of the Great Dartmouth signal station at the eastern base of Deer Leap Mountain on the Hudson River along the Stony Creek/Thurman town line in Warren County. The area was surveyed in 1879, but the sketch was drawn in 1886. This apparently was the beginning point of the initial survey of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase in 1772. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and directions to nearby landmarks are given, including Sugarloaf Mountain (Washington County). Great Dartmouth and Little Dartmouth are written on the page, but it is not entirely clear if these are just signal stations or settlements as well.
Diagram of the signal station on Sugarloaf Mountain (Signal No.8) in Thurman, Warren County at the junction of the Hudson and Schroon rivers. Magnetic north is indicated, and directions to nearby landmarks are given. The following note appears at the top of the diagram: This mountain is the southern end of a ridge running about N15 degrees W. Southeastern side is rocky and quite abrupt. Northeastern side runs out into a ridge gradually descending for a mile or more. Estimated height above river is 850 ft. Line is not yet as far advanced as this point but will pass about ½ mile to the eastward.
Diagram of the signal station at North River (a.k.a. Eldridge, according to Colvin) on the Hudson River in Johnsburg, Warren County, dated August 24, 1892 (the measurements actually took place in April). The footprint of the station is depicted, but no directions to landmarks are provided. The station was situated on land owned by someone named Robbe or Roble. The Hudson River and a road to Blue Mountain Lake lie to the upper right, and stone wall runs along the lower part of the diagram.
Diagram showing the location of Bench Mark 133 in the village of Johnsburg in Johnsburg, Warren County. No date is given, but CACI states surveying was done there on June 25, 1895. What may be geographic north is indicated by a simple red line, and no directions to landmarks are given. The diagram depicts several buildings in Johnsburg, centered on Bench Mark 133.
Diagram of the signal station just north of the mouth of the Boquet River at Willsborough (now Willsboro) hamlet in Willsboro, Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1881 according to CACI. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right of the page. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are indicated, but there are directions to two nearby landmarks, Juniper St. House and Split Rock. Computations are written to the left and bottom of the page, which has been damaged by mold.
Diagrams of two baselines measured on the west shore of Lake Champlain, no date given. The first (left) is located on the Crown Point peninsula in Crown Point, Essex County. The baseline is 4,789.853 meters (2.97 miles) long and runs from North Base (‘N’) near the peninsula’s northern shore to South Base (‘S’) below the peninsula’s southern margin. There is a third signal station (‘H’) on the west shore of Bulwagga Bay. A triangle has been formed between N, S, and H. A second triangle has been formed between N, S, and an unidentified point on the east shore of Lake Champlain in Addison County, Vermont. The second baseline (right) is located near the mouth of the Saranac River in Plattsburgh, Clinton County. The length of the baseline is not given, but both North Base and South Base are located at approximately 44 degrees 41' N, 73 degrees 31' W. No triangles are drawn off the baseline. An old U.S. Army base lies just to the southwest of North Base. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are explicitly indicated for either diagram, and there are no directions to nearby landmarks. The diagrams occupy only about one-third of the page, and there is a printed form for measurement data below. CACI lists surveying work at Crown Point in 1872, 1873, 1876, 1885, and 1887. See also p.47.
Diagram of the South Base of a baseline measured near the west shore of Lake Champlain on the property of a C.A. Tremble, exact location unknown, but possibly at Crown Point in Essex County (see Index). Geographic north is indicated, running through the base. The baseline runs N5 degrees W of the meridian, starting from South Base, toward an unidentified point an unknown distance away (possibly 4,789 meters). No other directions to landmarks are given. This may be part of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase; notes speculate that this may be the border between two lots surveyed by A. Campbell. (Archibald Campbell undertook the first survey of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase in 1772.)
Four diagrams of the South Base monument on the property of C.A. Tremble depicted on page 47-front. On top is an oblique elevated view looking north, which gives the best idea as to the base’s size and appearance. Below is a view from directly above, flanked by side views of the monument in its pit, and the pit without the monument. The South Base monument was thirty-four feet tall (twenty feet buried underground) and five feet wide near the top (slightly wider at the base). The view from directly above has 1872 and U.S.C.S. written on it. See p.46.
Diagram of the West Base signal station on Blue Mountain Lake in Indian Lake, Hamilton County, dated 1885. The exact location is unknown, but probably on the south shore. The base is forty-three feet south of the lake, and marked by a copper bolt (No.116). A baseline runs from the station 542.715 feet slightly southeast to East Base (not shown). There are directions to adjacent and distant landmarks, including Gull Rock just over the Herkimer County line.
Diagram showing baselines for several triangles measured along the northern shore of Lake George where Essex, Warren, and Washington counties meet. Elevations along the lake are also depicted.
Diagram of the northern end of Lake George in Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1880 or 1881 according to CACI. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right of the page. Two mountains are situated to the west of the lake; their labels are illegible, but they are apparently Cooks Mountain and Bear Mountain. Mount Defiance is depicted at bottom. The diagram illustrates an attempt to determine the exact size of Lake George, as there are several triangulations across the lake, with a sequence of baselines (labeled “meas base”) running along the west shore. There are also triangulations from these baselines converging on Buck Mountain (not shown) and Mount Defiance.
Diagram of a signal station in southern Washington County, dated November 24, 1881. The exact location is unclear (Kingsbury or Hartford is also written), as Kingsbury and Hartford are today separate townships, though the angles suggest Hartford. Both geographic north and magnetic north are given, with the diagram oriented such that north is to the right. The angles were measured off of magnetic north. Directions are given to several prominent landmarks, including Black Mountain, Buck Mountain, Crane Mountain, French Mountain, Gore Mountain, Potash Mountain, and Prospect Mountain. None of the local topography is drawn. Mills Blake took the measurements.
Diagram of the signal station in the Santanoni Mountains in Newcomb, Essex County, dated 1882. What appears to be magnetic north is indicated, and directions to the following landmarks, among others, are given: Blue Mountain, Buck Mountain, Mount Marcy, West Mountain, and Whiteface Mountain. None of the local topography is drawn. The original measurement appears to have been taken by S.H. Snell.
Pre-printed form depicting a signal tower (stan-helio) with Beaches or Brandreth Lake written at top. Brandreth (a.k.a. Beaches) Lake is in Long Lake, Hamilton County; no other information is written on the page. See page 52A for more information on the Brandreth Lake signal station. CACI records surveying work at Brandreth Lake on November 17, 1873. See also p.52A.
Front and back of a rough sketch of Brandreth Lake in Long Lake, Hamilton County, no date given. Front: Sketch is oriented such that south is at the top. A triangulation is drawn at the south end between “Sugar Loaf,” Rock Island, and a low boggy point. A West Mountain lies to the southwest of the lake, and what appears to be a baseline is drawn between it and Sugar Loaf. Back: A drawing of Rock Island with its signal station. There is a note above that reads: Looking from Sugar Loaf [to] Rock Island at pt beyond are in line and nearly so with west mtn. CACI records surveying work at Brandreth Lake on November 17, 1873. See also p.52.
Pre-printed form depicting a signal tower (stan-helio) with Utawana-Utawana Lake written at top. No date is given, but possibly 1882 (see p.53-A). Utowana Lake is in Indian Lake, Hamilton County; no other information is written on the page. See also p.53A.
Diagram of the signal station at Utowana Lake in Indian Lake, Hamilton County, probably on the south shore, dated October 15, 1882. North is to the right. The location was determined by an angle of 142 degrees 21' 58" between West Mountain near Brandreth Lake and Blue Mountain shown in the drawing. The signal was 15 feet from the water. The measurement was taken by C.R. Hawkins. See also p.53.
Diagram of the signal station on Rand Hill in Beekmantown, Clinton County. No date is given, but possibly 1878 according to CACI. Magnetic north is indicated, and a scale of 1:1,000 is given. The signal station lies within a square bounded by a stone wall/rail fence. Elevation lines are drawn, and two Norway pines are depicted north of the square. Robinson is written in the lower left next to what may be two buildings. There are no directions to landmarks.
Diagram of the Ogden signal station at West Glens Falls in Queensbury, Warren County, dated November 20, 1881. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, but measurements appear to be off of magnetic north. Directions are given to the following landmarks: Prospect Mountain, French Mountain, Lone Tree, a Catholic Church in Glens Falls, and two other signal stations. No local topography is depicted. Mills Blake took the measurement.
Verplanck Colvin’s Diagrams of Stations fieldbook’s index, listing each signal station in the book from page two to page fifty-one. Page one is not included.
Page two of Verplanck Colvin’s Diagrams of Stations Fieldbook’s index, listing stations in the book from pages fifty-two to fifty-five.
The signal station on Mount Anthony in Hadley, Saratoga County and the adjacent sections of the Hudson River and the Sacandaga River, no date given. Geographic north and directions to local landmarks via the azimuth are depicted. There are notes on the right side about how to obtain unobstructed views at the summit of the area around Mount Anthony. This page is not listed in the index.
The signal station on Azure Mountain in Waverly, Franklin County, dated December 12, 1882 (“Mt. Azure” and “Blue Peak of St. Regis” according to Colvin.) Magnetic north(?) and directions to nearby mountains are given, as well as to a “Trout Lake,” but the angle suggests Lake Ozonia in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County. (There is a Trout Lake by Lake George.) S.H. Snell took the measurements (“S.S. Snell” [sic] on the page.).
Pre-printed diagram of a signal tower (stan-helio) with Albany Mountain written at top. There is no Albany Mountain in the Adirondacks, but this may be referring to Baldface Mountain in Minerva, Essex County. No other information is given. See also pp.3-A, 4.
Front: The signal station on Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain in Minerva, Essex County, dated 1882. What appears to be magnetic north is indicated, and directions to about forty landmarks are provided. No local topography is depicted. S.H. Snell (“S.S. Snell” [sic] took the measurements.) Back: Data from Stillwater (i.e., Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain). Directions to several landmarks are provided, including West Mountain and Blue Mountain. See pp.3-4.
Front: The signal station on Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain in Minerva, Essex County, dated 1882. What appears to be magnetic north is indicated, and directions to about forty landmarks are provided. No local topography is depicted. S.H. Snell (“S.S. Snell” [sic] took the measurements.) Back: Data from Stillwater (i.e., Albany Mountain, possibly Baldface Mountain). Directions to several landmarks are provided, including West Mountain and Blue Mountain. See pp.3, 4.
Simple diagram of the “Albany Mountain” signal station showing magnetic north and directions to landmarks in the northeast quadrant, including Wolf Mountain and Graves Mountain. The diagram is not dated. See also pp.3, 3-A.
Signal station on Black Mountain in Dresden, Washington County, dated 1881. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are indicated, and no directions to landmarks are provided. The diagram depicts the footprint of the station.
Signal station on “Constitution Mountain,” probably Potash Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County, dated 1878. Magnetic north is indicated, oriented toward the upper right of the page. The direction to Prospect Mountain is shown. See also p.7.
Signal station on Constitution Mountain, possibly 1878. The drawing is extremely rough, with very simple renderings of mountains that are poorly labeled, though two are labeled Mt. Constitution and Cobble Hill, their spatial arrangement suggesting that Mt. Constitution may be Kenyon Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County (Assuming that “Cobble Hill” is present-day Cobble Mountain. There is also a Cobble Hill in Essex County.). There are notes on the back giving directions to nearby landmarks. See also pp.6, 6-B.
An extremely rough sketch of Potash Kettle, which may be an elevation on the east bank of the Hudson River in Lake Luzerne, Warren County, dated "June 1st," but no year given. The drawing is too crude to be certain about the location. There are notes about Pharaoh Mountain in Schroon, Essex County on the back of the page.
The signal station on Mount Constitution (a.k.a. Constitution Mountain, possibly Kenyon Mountain), either in Lake Luzerne or Lake George, Warren County, no date given. Directions to the following landmarks, among others, are given: West Mountain, Twin Mountain, and Potash Mountain. There is a note to the right describing conditions at the summit of Mount Constitution. See also pp.6, 6-A.
Signal station at Croghan hamlet in Croghan, Lewis County, dated May 1883. The station was apparently located at a hotel there that no longer exists. Magnetic north is indicated, and directions to the following landmarks and towns are given: Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Martinsburg, Lowville, King Hill, Belfort, Champion Hill, Rutland, Carthage. S.H. Snell (misidentified as “S.S. Snell”) took the measurements. See also p.9.
Diagrams of two signal stations by S.H. Snell: Carthage Hill exact location unknown, but somewhere to the north of Carthage, Jefferson County), and Croghan Hotel in Croghan, Lewis County, dated March 1883. Both diagrams indicate magnetic north, and directions to the following landmarks are given: Rutland Hill, Carthage, Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Stillwater, Champion Hill, Lowville, Martinsburg, King Hill, Belfort. See also p.8.
Front: Signal station at Carthage Hill, probably in Wilna, Jefferson County, dated May 1883. Magnetic north is indicated, and there are directions to the following landmarks: Stillwater Mountain, Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Carthage, and Rutland Hill. No local topography is depicted. The measurements were taken by S.H. Snell. Back: Reverse of page ten, apparently a triangulation of the Carthage Hill signal station with two other landmarks, according to the index, but the page is not labeled.
Front: Signal station at Carthage Hill, probably in Wilna, Jefferson County, dated May 1883. Magnetic north is indicated, and there are directions to the following landmarks: Stillwater Mountain, Gomer (Gommer) Hill, Carthage, and Rutland Hill. No local topography is depicted. The measurements were taken by S.H. Snell. Back: Reverse of page ten, apparently a triangulation of the Carthage Hill signal station with two other landmarks, according to the index, but the page is not labeled.
Signal station at Caldwell, today Lake George, Warren County, dated October 21, 1881. The diagram depicts geographic north (true meridian) and magnetic north (magnetic meridian), as well as local magnetic declination. Directions are given to Black Mountain and Buck Mountain in Fort Ann and Dresden, Washington County, respectively, giving angles from both the true and magnetic meridians, and the angular distance between each other. Mills Blake took the measurement.
Front: The signal station on Gomer Hill in Turin, Lewis County, not dated, but possibly 1882. The diagram’s scale is 1:2,000. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination recorded. No directions to landmarks are provided. The diagram shows the top of Gomer Hill and its steep sides, which are divided into four lots: Lot 67 (Lands of Thomas E. Pritchard), Lot 68, Lot 75 (Lands of Evan Evens), and Lot 76. A note at bottom reads: HIGHWAY From Turin Village traverses these lots. Back: A diagram showing how the Gomer Hill station was constructed is provided with two brief notes.
Front: The signal station on Gomer Hill in Turin, Lewis County, not dated, but possibly 1882. The diagram’s scale is 1:2,000. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination recorded. No directions to landmarks are provided. The diagram shows the top of Gomer Hill and its steep sides, which are divided into four lots: Lot 67 (Lands of Thomas E. Pritchard), Lot 68, Lot 75 (Lands of Evan Evens), and Lot 76. A note at bottom reads: HIGHWAY From Turin Village traverses these lots. Back: A diagram showing how the Gomer Hill station was constructed is provided with two brief notes.
A signal station on Mount Manning, dated 1878. There is no Mount Manning in the Adirondacks today, but based on angles to nearby landmarks, the station was probably in Saranac, Clinton County. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided. The diagram includes the footprint of the station. Directions to about two dozen landmarks are given, including: Lyon Mountain, Norway Mountain, Whiteface Mountain, Chateaugay Lake, St. Regis Mountain, and Blake Mountain.
Written account by Colvin of a survey of the boundaries of Griffith Jones’ property in Steuben, Oneida County beginning from the Penn Mountain signal station.
The Penn Mountain signal station in Steuben, Oneida County, dated January 30, 1886. Magnetic north is indicated, but there are no directions to landmarks. The diagram depicts Lots 10, 11, 19, and 20 of the Steuben Patent. A note at top reads: “This Signal determines the Geographical position of the Stuben [sic] patent (Central portion). The South East Corner of Lot No. 10 in Stuben [sic] patent is 4 chains (66 ft each) and 74 link. (100 to the chain) East of the point where the magnetic meridian of the Signal strikes the south line of the lot (No. 10) which S. line is 0.175 Chain S of Signal on bearings as given below V.C.” This area may have been previously surveyed in 1787.
Signal station on “Potash Kettle Mountain” (now Potash Mountain) in Lake Luzerne, Warren County. No date is given, but possibly July 1879 according to CACI. Both magnetic north and geographic north are indicated, directions to landmarks are given, including Prospect Mountain (“Prospect Hill”), Cobble Hill, and Antonio Mountain. Thomas Mountain, Eddy Mountain and Gailey Hill to the west are drawn. The Hudson River to the west is also depicted, as is a “Luzerne Brook,” now Stewart Brook. See also p.16.
Signal stations on Potash Kettle Mountain, probably present-day Potash Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County. No date is given, but possibly July 1879, according to CACI. Magnetic north is indicated, and there are directions to several landmarks, most notably Prospect Mountain. See also p.15.
The signal station on Pharaoh Mountain in Schroon, Essex County, dated 1880 (measurement possibly in November). The footprint of the station is depicted, and directions to about two dozen landmarks are given, including Dix Mountain, Gore Mountain, Mount Marcy, Potash Mountain, and Vanderwhacker Mountain. A note at top reads: “Diagram showing the Copper bolt, Station mark (No. 64) the iron ring-bolts and the direction of the various Signals (N.B. Three drill holes near Copper bolt mark feet of Tripod. Theod).”
Diagram of how the Potash Kettle Mountain signal station in Lake Luzerne, Warren County was constructed.
Side view of a granite post set into the ground, location unknown. It is unclear if this diagram is related to 17-A. A note reads: Set by H.K. Averill Jr. 1883.
Footprint of the signal station depicted on page 17.
Signal station on Raven Hill in Elizabethtown, Essex County, no date given. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and directions to nearby landmarks are provided, including: Bald Peak, Hurricane Mountain, and Giant Mountain (Giant of the Valley). The station’s footprint is drawn, as are boundaries of lots on the hill. “Meridian Lines” is written above the entire diagram.
Signal station on the Silver Lake Mountains in Black Brook, Clinton County, dated 1878. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are indicated, but there are directions to nearby landmarks, including Mount Manning (see p.13), Clayburgh, and Whiteface Mountain. Colvin identifies the station as both as Silver Mountain and Silver Lk Mt.
Signal station at Vanderwhacker Mountain (Colvin renders it Mount VanDeWhacker) mainly in Minerva, Essex County, but also partly in Newcomb, dated 1880. Only geographic north is depicted, as are directions to thirty-two landmarks, including Black Mountain, Dix Mountain, Gore Mountain, and Pharoah Mountain, as well as the town line.
Sketch of the general vicinity of Vanderwhacker Mountain in Minerva, Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1880, 1884, or 1895, according to CACI. The diagram is a large fold-out sheet depicting several other potential signal stations, with notes about their suitability for surveying.
Nearly blank piece of paper with illegible writing at top associated with page 19-A: Sketch of the general vicinity of Vanderwhacker Mountain in Minerva, Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1880, 1884, or 1895, according to CACI. The diagram is a large fold-out sheet depicting several other potential signal stations, with notes about their suitability for surveying.
Signal station in Westport, Essex County, dated 1881. No directions to landmarks are provided, but adjacent lots are depicted.
The signal station at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, Essex County, dated 1877. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided. Directions to about thirty landmarks are provided, including Black Mountain, Giant Mountain, Hurricane Mountain, Lyon Mountain, Mount Marcy, Mount Morris, Rand Hill, and Saint Regis Mountain.
Diagram of the signal station at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, Essex County, dated 1877. The “eccentricity observed” at the station is depicted, but it is unclear what this means.
Signal station on Woodhull Mountain in Webb, Herkimer County, probably 1885. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided (dated 1885). The footprint of the station is depicted, but no directions to landmarks are given.
Diagram of the signal station on Woodhull Mountain in Webb, Herkimer County, probably from 1885, that depicts the station’s footprint, an adjacent boulder, and describes the characteristics of local rock (gneissoid rock) and soil (humus). Notes on the margin include: First solar transit and magnetic station 1882-1885, and Flat rock old Camp ground.
Page is blank except for a note at bottom that reads: Diagram accompanying report of D.M. Arnold 1878, showing location of boundary line between the Counties of Essex and Washington. See page 23-A.
Sketch of the northern end of Lake George. It is oriented so that east is at the top, with Essex County to the left, Washington County at the top right, and Warren County at the bottom right. A horizontal arrow at bottom shows what appears to be magnetic north. A Black Point is identified on the Essex County side, which appears to be a small peninsula just north of the Essex County/Washington County line in the town of Ticonderoga. No other survey information is given.
Sketch of the southern half of Schroon Lake, showing the location of the signal station at Pitkin’s Point (now Taylors Point) in Horicon, Warren County, dated June 1, 1878. Adjacent hills are depicted, with elevations given using the lake surface as a local datum. Acker Brook and the mouth of the Schroon River are also shown. Neither geographic nor magnetic north are given, nor any directions to nearby landmarks. There is an instruction to see a note on back.
Note about landmarks around Schroon Lake. See p.24-front: Sketch of the southern half of Schroon Lake, showing the location of the signal station at Pitkin’s Point (now Taylors Point) in Horicon, Warren County, dated June 1, 1878. Adjacent hills are depicted, with elevations given using the lake surface as a local datum. Acker Brook and the mouth of the Schroon River are also shown. Neither geographic nor magnetic north are given, nor any directions to nearby landmarks. There is an instruction to see a note on back.
The signal station at Sageville, now the village of Lake Pleasant, in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County, no date given. Both geographic north and magnetic north are said to be given, but only an arrow indicating geographic north is visible. There are also directions to other landmarks, including Hamilton Mountain (identified as Mt. Hamilton). Two nearby roads are also depicted. The station lay forty feet to the east of a Call’s Hotel.
Sketch of a theodolite station on the west bank of Lake Pleasant’s outlet into the Sacandaga River just west of Speculator in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right (indicated by a geographic north arrow) and the Sacandaga River flows to the bottom of the page. Directions to nearby landmarks are given, a bridge over the river is drawn, and there is a note describing the location of the station. See also pp.27-29.
Sketch of the North Terminus of the West Base signal station, probably on the west shore of Lake Pleasant in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County, at the mouth of a stream running from Sacandaga Lake. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The diagram is oriented such that geographic north is at the bottom of the page (magnetic north is not given). The stream is labeled Inlet from Round Lake, Round Lake being an alternate name for Sacandaga Lake in the nineteenth century. A baseline is drawn running thirty degrees east of due south 3,509 feet to the South Terminus on Lake Pleasant’s east shore (p.28). A note states that Colvin and his assistant George Burton took the measurement, but no date is given. Burton’s house lies to the right (south) of the river. See also pp.26, 28-29.
Sketch of the South Terminus of the West Base signal station on the southeast shore of Lake Pleasant in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The South Terminus is marked by an iron nail lodged in a living maple tree fifteen feet from shore. A baseline is drawn running for 3,509 feet thirty degrees west of geographic north. Bushes and trees are also depicted. A note identifies Verplanck Colvin and George Burton as the surveyors. See also pp.26-27, 29.
Sketch of the North Base signal station in Sacandaga Lake in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). North Base is located on a giant granite boulder just south of an island in the lake. A baseline runs for 6,554.9 feet twenty-eight degrees east of geographic south to South Base (see p.30), and a line shows the direction of the magnetic station near Call’s Hotel in Sageville/Lake Pleasant (see p.25). See also pp.26-28.
Sketch of the South Base signal station on Sacandaga Lake in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County. No date is given, but is possibly 1883 or 1888 according to CACI (Colvin was also there in 1895 and 1896.). The station is located on a granite boulder on the lake’s southeastern shore, forty-eight feet north of a large pine tree (another boulder is in between). A baseline runs 6,554.9 feet twenty-eight degrees west of geographic north to North Base. (See p. 29.) A note at bottom right reads: “The centre of the Station at “South Base” Sacondaga [sic] Lake is marked by a drill hole in rock with cut around it. Measured by V. Colvin.” “Manley Boat house” is written along the left side.
Sketch of the signal station in the village of Elizabethtown in Elizabethtown, Essex County, dated June 18, 1880. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and local magnetic declination is provided. A baseline runs 549.65 feet southwest from the station. Directions to three landmarks are given: Cobble Hill, Hurricane Mountain, and Raven Hill.
Diagram of the signal station in the village of Elizabethtown in Elizabethtown, Essex County, dated June 18, 1880, centered on Main Street and oriented such that south is to the right of the page. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north is explicitly indicated. The signal station is identified by the letter A, and several other nearby points are identified by the letters B to K. The distances between signal station and all the other points are listed at the bottom of the page. There are no directions to distant landmarks.
Sketch of the signal station at Keene Valley in Keene, Essex County, dated June 17, 1880. Both geographic north and magnetic north are identified, and the local magnetic declination (variation of magnetic needle) is provided. Directions to the following landmarks are given: Hurricane Mountain, Giant Mountain (Giant of the Valley), Dix Mountain, Rooster’s Comb, and Porter Mountain. Buildings in Keene Valley are drawn.
Sketch of the signal station on the summit of Giant Mountain in Keene, Essex County, depicting several lots on and around the mountain at a scale of two hundred feet to the inch, dated June 22, 1881. The diagram includes a triangulation from the summit to another station 783.22 feet down the mountain to the northwest, then back up 784.24 feet to a point forty feet northeast of the summit station. Several other compass and transit lines cross the diagram, but no directions to landmarks are given. See also pp.34-36.
Measurements of the boundary line between the Old Military Tract and the Roaring Brook Tract on Giant Mountain in Keene, Essex County, dated June 22, 1881. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right. There are no directions to landmarks, but there is a rough depiction of the topography in the background.
Several trigonomic computations for the measurements on page 34-front: Measurements of the boundary line between the Old Military Tract and the Roaring Brook Tract on Giant Mountain in Keene, Essex County, dated June 22, 1881. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right. There are no directions to landmarks, but there is a rough depiction of the topography in the background. See also pp.33, 35-36.
Sketch of the terminus of a transit line run by Colvin from the Westport signal station in Westport, Essex County to the eastern shore of Upper Preston Pond in Newcomb, Essex County, dated 1881. The transit line serves as the border between the Old Military Tract to the north and the Totten and Crossfield Purchase to the south. Geographic north is indicated at three points along the transit line. Local topography and vegetation are noted, but there are no directions to landmarks. See also pp.33-34, 36.
Boundary line between the Van Benthuysen/Gore and Totten and Crossfield Purchase tracts on the west shore of Upper Preston Pond in Newcomb, Essex County, dated 1881. The scale is 1:2,000. The copper bolt of the signal station is on a boulder on the west side of the diagram. A “sub-baseline” is drawn off of “Snell’s Post” to the northeast (other end not depicted). See also pp.33-35.
Sketch of the copper bolt monument shown on page 36-front. The bolt is set into a (granite?) boulder with two other boulders nearby, apparently 70.2 feet from the east shore of Upper Preston Pond at an azimuth angle. See also pp.33-35.
Colvin’s measurements for the northern boundary of a Lot 35, whose location is unknown, dated 1892. The measurements are in stadia (1 stadium=607 feet). This may be a drawing of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase (see p.35).
Sketch of Lot 21 and Lot 22 in Township No. 35 (county unknown) in the Totten and Crossfield Purchase, dated 1892. The diagram is oriented such that magnetic north is at the bottom of the page and to the right.
Simple diagram of a signal station at corner lots 21 and 22 of the Woodruff Track TWP35 at the Totten and Crossfield Purchase (see p.35).
Simple diagram of a signal station at corner lots 21 and 22 of the Woodruff Track TWP35 at the Totten and Crossfield Purchase (see p.35).
Sketch of a signal station at Dorrity or Wolf Rock, exact location unknown, but somewhere almost due west of Potash Mountain in Lake Luzerne, Warren County, no date given. The station is named Tertiary Signal No.5. What appears to be magnetic north is given, as are directions to seventeen nearby landmarks.
Sketch of the Deers Leap Hill (now Deer Leap Mountain) signal station (Signal No. 6) in Stony Creek, Warren County, dated September 27, 1879. Geographic north is indicated, and directions to thirty nearby landmarks are given. The measurements may have been taken by D.M. Arnold, whose name is on the page.
Sketch of the Great Dartmouth signal station at the eastern base of Deer Leap Mountain on the Hudson River along the Stony Creek/Thurman town line in Warren County. The area was surveyed in 1879, but the sketch was drawn in 1886. This apparently was the beginning point of the initial survey of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase in 1772. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, and directions to nearby landmarks are given, including Sugarloaf Mountain (Washington County). Great Dartmouth and Little Dartmouth are written on the page, but it is not entirely clear if these are just signal stations or settlements as well.
Diagram of the signal station on Sugarloaf Mountain (Signal No.8) in Thurman, Warren County at the junction of the Hudson and Schroon rivers. Magnetic north is indicated, and directions to nearby landmarks are given. The following note appears at the top of the diagram: This mountain is the southern end of a ridge running about N15 degrees W. Southeastern side is rocky and quite abrupt. Northeastern side runs out into a ridge gradually descending for a mile or more. Estimated height above river is 850 ft. Line is not yet as far advanced as this point but will pass about ½ mile to the eastward.
Diagram of the signal station at North River (a.k.a. Eldridge, according to Colvin) on the Hudson River in Johnsburg, Warren County, dated August 24, 1892 (the measurements actually took place in April). The footprint of the station is depicted, but no directions to landmarks are provided. The station was situated on land owned by someone named Robbe or Roble. The Hudson River and a road to Blue Mountain Lake lie to the upper right, and stone wall runs along the lower part of the diagram.
Diagram showing the location of Bench Mark 133 in the village of Johnsburg in Johnsburg, Warren County. No date is given, but CACI states surveying was done there on June 25, 1895. What may be geographic north is indicated by a simple red line, and no directions to landmarks are given. The diagram depicts several buildings in Johnsburg, centered on Bench Mark 133.
Diagram of the signal station just north of the mouth of the Boquet River at Willsborough (now Willsboro) hamlet in Willsboro, Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1881 according to CACI. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right of the page. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are indicated, but there are directions to two nearby landmarks, Juniper St. House and Split Rock. Computations are written to the left and bottom of the page, which has been damaged by mold.
Diagrams of two baselines measured on the west shore of Lake Champlain, no date given. The first (left) is located on the Crown Point peninsula in Crown Point, Essex County. The baseline is 4,789.853 meters (2.97 miles) long and runs from North Base (‘N’) near the peninsula’s northern shore to South Base (‘S’) below the peninsula’s southern margin. There is a third signal station (‘H’) on the west shore of Bulwagga Bay. A triangle has been formed between N, S, and H. A second triangle has been formed between N, S, and an unidentified point on the east shore of Lake Champlain in Addison County, Vermont. The second baseline (right) is located near the mouth of the Saranac River in Plattsburgh, Clinton County. The length of the baseline is not given, but both North Base and South Base are located at approximately 44 degrees 41' N, 73 degrees 31' W. No triangles are drawn off the baseline. An old U.S. Army base lies just to the southwest of North Base. Neither geographic north nor magnetic north are explicitly indicated for either diagram, and there are no directions to nearby landmarks. The diagrams occupy only about one-third of the page, and there is a printed form for measurement data below. CACI lists surveying work at Crown Point in 1872, 1873, 1876, 1885, and 1887. See also p.47.
Diagram of the South Base of a baseline measured near the west shore of Lake Champlain on the property of a C.A. Tremble, exact location unknown, but possibly at Crown Point in Essex County (see Index). Geographic north is indicated, running through the base. The baseline runs N5 degrees W of the meridian, starting from South Base, toward an unidentified point an unknown distance away (possibly 4,789 meters). No other directions to landmarks are given. This may be part of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase; notes speculate that this may be the border between two lots surveyed by A. Campbell. (Archibald Campbell undertook the first survey of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase in 1772.)
Four diagrams of the South Base monument on the property of C.A. Tremble depicted on page 47-front. On top is an oblique elevated view looking north, which gives the best idea as to the base’s size and appearance. Below is a view from directly above, flanked by side views of the monument in its pit, and the pit without the monument. The South Base monument was thirty-four feet tall (twenty feet buried underground) and five feet wide near the top (slightly wider at the base). The view from directly above has 1872 and U.S.C.S. written on it. See p.46.
Diagram of the West Base signal station on Blue Mountain Lake in Indian Lake, Hamilton County, dated 1885. The exact location is unknown, but probably on the south shore. The base is forty-three feet south of the lake, and marked by a copper bolt (No.116). A baseline runs from the station 542.715 feet slightly southeast to East Base (not shown). There are directions to adjacent and distant landmarks, including Gull Rock just over the Herkimer County line.
Diagram showing baselines for several triangles measured along the northern shore of Lake George where Essex, Warren, and Washington counties meet. Elevations along the lake are also depicted.
Diagram of the northern end of Lake George in Essex County. No date is given, but possibly 1880 or 1881 according to CACI. The diagram is oriented such that north is to the right of the page. Two mountains are situated to the west of the lake; their labels are illegible, but they are apparently Cooks Mountain and Bear Mountain. Mount Defiance is depicted at bottom. The diagram illustrates an attempt to determine the exact size of Lake George, as there are several triangulations across the lake, with a sequence of baselines (labeled “meas base”) running along the west shore. There are also triangulations from these baselines converging on Buck Mountain (not shown) and Mount Defiance.
Diagram of a signal station in southern Washington County, dated November 24, 1881. The exact location is unclear (Kingsbury or Hartford is also written), as Kingsbury and Hartford are today separate townships, though the angles suggest Hartford. Both geographic north and magnetic north are given, with the diagram oriented such that north is to the right. The angles were measured off of magnetic north. Directions are given to several prominent landmarks, including Black Mountain, Buck Mountain, Crane Mountain, French Mountain, Gore Mountain, Potash Mountain, and Prospect Mountain. None of the local topography is drawn. Mills Blake took the measurements.
Diagram of the signal station in the Santanoni Mountains in Newcomb, Essex County, dated 1882. What appears to be magnetic north is indicated, and directions to the following landmarks, among others, are given: Blue Mountain, Buck Mountain, Mount Marcy, West Mountain, and Whiteface Mountain. None of the local topography is drawn. The original measurement appears to have been taken by S.H. Snell.
Pre-printed form depicting a signal tower (stan-helio) with Beaches or Brandreth Lake written at top. Brandreth (a.k.a. Beaches) Lake is in Long Lake, Hamilton County; no other information is written on the page. See page 52A for more information on the Brandreth Lake signal station. CACI records surveying work at Brandreth Lake on November 17, 1873. See also p.52A.
Front and back of a rough sketch of Brandreth Lake in Long Lake, Hamilton County, no date given. Front: Sketch is oriented such that south is at the top. A triangulation is drawn at the south end between “Sugar Loaf,” Rock Island, and a low boggy point. A West Mountain lies to the southwest of the lake, and what appears to be a baseline is drawn between it and Sugar Loaf. Back: A drawing of Rock Island with its signal station. There is a note above that reads: Looking from Sugar Loaf [to] Rock Island at pt beyond are in line and nearly so with west mtn. CACI records surveying work at Brandreth Lake on November 17, 1873. See also p.52.
Pre-printed form depicting a signal tower (stan-helio) with Utawana-Utawana Lake written at top. No date is given, but possibly 1882 (see p.53-A). Utowana Lake is in Indian Lake, Hamilton County; no other information is written on the page. See also p.53A.
Diagram of the signal station at Utowana Lake in Indian Lake, Hamilton County, probably on the south shore, dated October 15, 1882. North is to the right. The location was determined by an angle of 142 degrees 21' 58" between West Mountain near Brandreth Lake and Blue Mountain shown in the drawing. The signal was 15 feet from the water. The measurement was taken by C.R. Hawkins. See also p.53.
Diagram of the signal station on Rand Hill in Beekmantown, Clinton County. No date is given, but possibly 1878 according to CACI. Magnetic north is indicated, and a scale of 1:1,000 is given. The signal station lies within a square bounded by a stone wall/rail fence. Elevation lines are drawn, and two Norway pines are depicted north of the square. Robinson is written in the lower left next to what may be two buildings. There are no directions to landmarks.
Diagram of the Ogden signal station at West Glens Falls in Queensbury, Warren County, dated November 20, 1881. Both geographic north and magnetic north are indicated, but measurements appear to be off of magnetic north. Directions are given to the following landmarks: Prospect Mountain, French Mountain, Lone Tree, a Catholic Church in Glens Falls, and two other signal stations. No local topography is depicted. Mills Blake took the measurement.
Identifier
DEC_Colvin_Diagrams
DEC_Colvin_Diagrams
Date Original
circa 1892
circa 1892
Contributor
Colvin, Verplanck, 1847-1920.
Colvin, Verplanck, 1847-1920.
Language
English
English
Source
Department of Environmental Conservation, Real Property Services. "Diagrams of Stations, Showing Direction of Points Observed [1877-1892]." by Verplanck Colvin for the Adirondack Survey.
Department of Environmental Conservation, Real Property Services. "Diagrams of Stations, Showing Direction of Points Observed [1877-1892]." by Verplanck Colvin for the Adirondack Survey.
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Special Project
Environmental History Virtual Resource Collection
Environmental History Virtual Resource Collection
More From This Series
Field books of Verplanck Colvin for the Adirondack SurveyGeographic Locations
Adirondack Mountains
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