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TELEGRAPH OFFICE

Program
Historic Transportation
Subject
Site, Transportation
Location
5 Main St, High Falls, NY 12740, USA
Lat/Long
41.827284, -74.127277
Grant Recipient
D&H Canal Historical Society
Historic Marker

TELEGRAPH OFFICE

Inscription

TELEGRAPH OFFICE
BUILDING CONSTRUCTED 1850
FOR D&H CANAL TOLL COLLECTOR.
TELEGRAPH OFFICE ADDED 1862
WHEN CANAL COMPANY INSTALLED
LINES ALONG TOWPATH.
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2024

When the Delaware & Hudson Canal company enlarged the canal in 1850, the canal through High Falls was rerouted to accommodate the new, longer boats. However, mills using the waterpower along the old route still needed access to the canal to ship their products. This toll collector’s office was built alongside the new Lock 15 near where the old and new canal routes met to collect tolls from the mills’ boats. In 1862, when the Canal Company installed telegraph lines along the D&H Canal’s entire New York State route, a telegraph office was added to the toll collector’s office. Inscriptions found in the building indicate it was enlarged in 1868. As of 2024, the D&H Historical Society, owners of the building, were working to restore the structure.


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