The Sacandaga Valley

Book excerpt: Much of the history of the Sacandaga Valley in upstate New York was lost in the early part of the 20th century with the building of a dam and the flooding of a vast area of homes, farms, and villages. Researched and compiled by historians of three Fulton County communities, The Sacandaga Valley preserves part of that history by showing the people and the life that filled the valley before it was covered with a huge new lake. For years, the fertile valley contained prosperous villages with tradesmen and factories, a rail line, and one of New York's best-known amusement centers and resorts. The Sacandaga River was a lumber-transport route and every spring, thousands of spectators lined its banks to watch the river drives. Then, in 1920, the river was chosen as the site for a dam needed to control spring flooding in cities along the Hudson River, including Albany and Cohoes. In 1930, the valley was flooded creating the Great Sacandaga Lake.