The Society recently received three new accessions from two collections that I’d like to share with you.
The Glens Falls and Lake George Plank Road company was chartered by the State of New York and opened in 1848. It started from near present day Crandall Park and ran north to the village limit of Caldwell now Lake George village.
Along the route there were scattered toll houses. The toll house located at French Mountain was captured in a famous photograph by Seneca Ray Stoddard.
The toll charge was 12 cents for a horse and 24 cents for a team of horses.
Season passes could be purchased for $10.00 for the summer season.
First season pass is for the period June 1, 1883 and ending November 1, 1883. Note the written comment “with mill cart”. Pass was signed by T. S. Coolidge, Treasurer of the Glens Falls and Lake George Plank Road Co.
The second pass was issued for the period of May 27, 1886 and ending November 1, 1886. This pass was issued June 12, 1886 by T. S. Coolidge, Treasurer.
edited by Tom Lynch, Collections Manager
contact: [email protected]
Source for Stoddard photo: Mike Carter Collection # 18.
Source for season passes: Eleanor Oudekerk Collection # 27.
As a footnote, when I worked for Warren County as Records Manager for the County I came across a case on appeal that had to do with the taking of the right-of-way of the Glens Falls – Lake George Plank Road Company for the construction of what today is U.S. Route 9.
In the written testimony of the case I noted my great grandfather Frank Shippey testified that he built both the toll house at Crandall Park and the one at French Mountain. – Tom Lynch