Silver Lake Dam
Why it's listed
Silver Lake Dam crosses the Sandburg Creek in Woodridge, Sullivan County, New York, holding back a 65-acre lake. Built around 1847, it was one of the reservoirs created when the Delaware and Hudson Canal was enlarged to carry more coal. The creek fed an eight-mile summit section of the canal, and the dam stored water for it. The structure is 176 feet long, about 5 feet wide at the top and roughly 13 feet high. Mortared stone slabs encase a dry rubble interior, and two 15-inch cast-iron pipes with gate valves released water as needed. The design is credited to canal chief engineer Rufus Lord. After the canal closed, the lake became a recreational and resort amenity, and the dam was later raised and capped with concrete. A leak in 1999 led to a temporary break that drained much of the lake, with restoration planned. The dam is valued as a rare surviving piece of canal-era engineering that helps explain how the canal operated.
Significance in brief: The dam is a surviving example of mid-nineteenth century water system and transportation engineering in Sullivan County. It was a key part of the water supply for the summit section of the Delaware and Hudson Canal during the canal's 1840s enlargement. It is attributed to the canal company's chief engineer, Rufus Lord, and retains substantial integrity despite damage.
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 00000585, listed June 2, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Silver Lake Rd., Woodridge |
|---|---|
| County | Sullivan County |
| Listed | June 2, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000585 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | c1847-1898 |
| Architect / builder | Rufus Lord, chief engineer |
| Architectural style | No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A leak developed in 1999, and the village owner made a temporary break in the dam, which drained much of the lake. Plans were underway to restore the dam and lake. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.70172, -74.55044 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 00000585.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q571898
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.