Exhibit on park opens
‘Birth of the Blue Line’ at DEC HQ
ALBANY, N.Y. » A new exhibit with rare artifacts celebrates the 125th anniversary of the Adirondack Parks and tells the struggles involved with the forest preserve’s creation.
“Birth of the Blue Line” opened Tuesday at state Department of Environmental Conservation headquarters, 625 Broadway in Albany.
Noted land surveyor Verplanck Colvin raised the alarm about threats to Adirondack resources as early as 1868.
In 1884, a state forest commission created a detailed map of remaining timber resources in northern New York. An 1891 map includes an outline of a proposed Adirondack Park, delineated by a line drawn in blue ink, which became known as the “blue line.” This is considered by historians to be the first map of the park.
A glass-encased exhibit in the DEC building’s lobby displays antique surveying equipment made by Gurley Equipment Company of Troy, and photographs of Colvin and his survey crew. Some of Colvin’s own field log books survive to this day, as do hand-drawn maps of significant physiographic features and progress reports showing triangulation methods to determine exact locations of mountain peaks.
This display will stay up through July, although historic maps will be exhibited permanently.
“The Adirondacks were once threatened by excessive logging and deforestation,” DEC Commissioner Basil Leggos said. “It took the dedicated efforts of conservationists, local residents, land managers, and concerned New Yorkers to protect these vital lands and waters. Visiting the ‘Birth of the Blue Line’ exhibit is a great way to learn more about these magnificent lands, residents and their rich history.”
For more than 125 years, the forest commission’s original maps were kept in DEC files, some originally folded inside 19th century reports to the state Legislature. However, over time the 130-year-old paper maps became brittle.
DEC worked with the New York State Library to professionally scan the maps and make replicas for public display. Digital scans of the maps can be viewed at the library’s online collections at: http://nysl.cloudapp.net/awweb/guest. jsp?smd=2&cl=library1_ lib&nid=16/17/18/22167.
Seggos unveiled four maps at the DEC building.
Three maps show how the Adirondack Park boundary evolved in the late 1800s, and a 1911 map shows placement of the “blue line” around the Catskill Park as well.
State Sen. Betty Little, R-Glens Falls, represents a district that encompasses much of the North Country.
“Preservation of the original maps and displayed copies, as well as digital scans provide original Adirondack Park blue line history to all,” she said. “This was a valuable historical project and I thank DEC and the state library for their efforts.” On May 20, 1892, New
York Governor Roswell P. Flower signed a law creating a 2.8 million-acre Adirondack Park. Today, the park offers an array of outdoor recreation opportunities, including more than 1,800 miles of trails and numerous campgrounds.
The Adirondack Park is America’s largest, oldest and most storied state park. Encompassing six million acres, it is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Cannon and Great Smokey Mountain National Parks combined, and is home to unparalleled wilds, with 46 peaks over 4,000 feet, thousands of lakes and 1,181 miles of rivers classified under the Wild, Scenic, Recreational Rivers System and thousands of additional miles of unclassified rivers and streams.
DEC has taken steps over the years to curtail the impacts of acid rain, prevent erosion on trails, fight the spread of invasive species, conserve open space, and decrease emissions and discharges that impact air and water quality, and fish and wildlife.
The park is also home to 120 hamlets and communities with a population of 130,000 year-round residents and over 200,000 seasonal residents, making it unique internationally.
Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, said, “As we celebrate this milestone, we must continue to work towards maintaining a balance of providing economic development opportunities along with protecting the natural resources that will afford the residents and visitors the opportunity to continue to enjoy the exceptional beauty of this park for generations to come.”
More information on the display, including printed brochures, is available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/ lands/110552.html.
For more information on the Adirondack Park and Forest Preserve, including a full-color Park Map and Guide, go to: http://www. dec.ny.gov/lands/5263.html.