Five Lock Combine and Locks 37 and 38, Black River Canal
Also known as: Boonville Gorge Park
Why it's listed
Boonville Gorge Park contains a preserved section of the Black River Canal, which linked the Black River Valley to the Erie Canal. The nominated stretch holds single Locks 37 and 38 and a five-lock combine, Locks 39 to 43, built in quick succession to climb steep terrain in a narrow limestone ravine. Lock 37 dates from 1895, Locks 39 to 41 from 1896, and Locks 42 and 43 probably from the early 1900s. Half of Lock 38 was lost to highway construction. The canal was authorized in 1836, opened in sections through 1855, and supplied water to the Erie Canal while supporting lumbering in the Black River Valley. Engineers once considered inclined planes instead of locks, a plan rejected because only smaller boats could use it. The canal closed in 1924. The section is valued as engineering evidence and as a surviving piece of New York's canal system, and Oneida County plans to preserve and interpret it as a park.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the canal section a fine example of nineteenth-century engineering skill. The five-lock combine overcame an extreme change in elevation with locks in quick succession. The canal also shows the extent of canal fever after the Erie Canal, and it is the only New York canal where inclined planes were seriously considered.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73001229, listed March 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 46, Boonville |
|---|---|
| County | Oneida County |
| Listed | March 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001229 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned canal in good condition, partly filled with debris and some water. Half of Lock 38 was destroyed by highway construction, and Lock 37 lacks its gates. The section is to be preserved and interpreted as a park by Oneida County. |
| Acreage | 71.6 |
| Coordinates | 43.40318, -75.36324 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73001229.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5455993
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.