Neck Canal of 1730
Why it's listed
A shallow ditch in a low marsh near Marcy, New York, is all that remains of what the nomination calls the state's first canal. In 1730, river boatmen are believed to have dug it with shovels across the narrow neck of a Mohawk River loop, shortcutting one of the river's many winding bends. The channel measured roughly 3 feet deep, 20 feet wide and 200 feet long. British military maps of about 1756 to 1759 label the spot as the neck dug through in 1730. The river later changed course, and early twentieth-century Barge Canal construction realigned the Mohawk, which isolated the ditch and protected it. State Museum researchers rediscovered it in 1992-93. Today it appears only as a faint depression that holds water at times. It was listed for its great age and rarity, its link to early Mohawk trade and navigation, and its survival, as the earliest known effort to improve colonial New York's main inland waterway.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the earliest extant example of an artificial navigable waterway in New York State. It is documented on mid-eighteenth-century British military maps as "The Neck digged through in 1730," and it survived because later Barge Canal construction and river realignment isolated it. It is tied to early Mohawk River trade and navigation and is considered a forerunner of later canal engineering.
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 95001011, listed August 15, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Cavanaugh Rd. (Co. Rt. 30), Marcy |
|---|---|
| County | Oneida County |
| Listed | August 15, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95001011 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1730 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned and dry except during rainy periods; now only a slight depression, scarcely visible on the ground, with moderate integrity. Listed function is vacant/not in use. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 43.13014, -75.27404 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 95001011.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6985511
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.