Brewerton Rear-Range Lighthouse
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Onedia River Lighthouse Park

Brewerton Rear-Range Lighthouse, also, Onedia River Lighthouse Park. . , Brewerton Rear-Range Lighthouse , History: After being elected Governor of New York in 1817, DeWitt Clinton persuaded the State Legislature to allocate 7 million for the construction of the Erie Canal, which his opponents deridingly called “Clinton’s Big Ditch.” When completed in 1825, the canal was forty feet wide, four feet deep, 363 miles long and contained eighty-three locks to cover a rise of 568 feet. Along one bank of the canal, a ten-foot-wide towpath for the animals used to pull the barges., The Erie Canal was twice enlarged to accommodate bigger barges, but by the early 1900s, engineers decided a new canal needed to be built for even larger ocean-going vessels. This time around, new construction equipment made it possible to dredge the Mohawk and Tonawanda Rivers, as well as shallow spots in Lakes Oneida and Onondaga, so these existing waterways could be incorporated into the canal. Work on the project began in 1905, and the new canal, named the New York State Barge Canal, was opened in 1918., Under state contract 132, awarded to the firm of Lupfer and Remick of Buffalo, work commenced in 1916 on three concrete towers for Lake Oneida. One of the towers was erected at Brewerton, to mark the juncture of the western end of the lake with the Oneida River; another tower was constructed at Verona Beach to mark the entrance to Wood Creek canal from the eastern end of the lake; and the third tower was placed on Frenchman's Island, to mark a pair of islands in the southwestern portion of the lake. Lupfer and Remick was well qualified for the contract having previously constructed tall smokestacks at steel mills along the shores of Lake Erie., [ Lower Inset: ] , Excerpts from: Barge Canal Bulletin 1916, 1917 and 1918 , As prepared by: Frank M. Williams, State Engineer and Surveyor< Fall of 1916....State Contract No. 132 was put out to bid. The Contract included constructing lighthouses, range towers, beacons, etc. and for furnishing and installing buoys and lighting equipment for aids to navigation on Oneida and Onondaga Lakes", Bids were opened on October 3, 1916. One bid was received. The contract was subsequently awarded to Lupfer and Remick, Buffalo, NY at $70,330.20. Construction started on October 30, 1916., By August 1917 - the Brewerton lighthouse was substantially complete: Reported: "Concrete surfaces were finished, gravel walk bullt, back fll placed under floor of concrete tower. A post light cabinet was also placed. Doors and windows are nearly complete", April, 1918 - final account approved by Canal Board on April 10, 1918. Final contract cost: $69,669., [ Photo Caption: ] , Photo of similar lighthouse under construction near Sylvan/Verona Beach, on opposite end of Oneida Lake., [Technical plans and maps were not transcribed. ], Onedia River Lighthouse Park, Welcome to the Onedia River Lighthouse Park , The Oneida River Lighthouse Park was developed as an outcome of the Town of Hastings Master Land Use Plan, which included a strong mandate to provide additional public access to the Oneida River shoreline. Over time, the Town Board acted to acquire the portion of the property that is now the parking lot, and also obtained a Use and Occupancy Permit from the NYS Canal Corporation, which allows park visitors to celebrate the historic Brewerton Rear Range Lighthouse, and the scenic Oneida River. , The lighhouse towering over the park was constructed in 1916-17, as part of a system wide improvement to the canals in New York State. It is one of only three lighthouses on the entire NYS Canal System - the others being located on Frenchman's Island within Oneida Lake, and in the hamlet of Sylvan Beach at the east end of Oneida lake. At 80 feet tall, the lighthouse is still used today as a navigation aide by boaters heading west off of Oneida Lake to the Oneida River chan-nel. The beacon from the lighthouse, when lined up with a similar beacon on the US Route 11 bridge, is used as a navigation guide by boaters heading west into the Oneida River from Oneida Lake. The park improvements were funded by grants from the NYSDOT's Transportation Enhancement Program, and from NYS Senator Jim Wright's office. The deisgn for this first phase of the park was prepared by Barton and Loguidice, DPC, and construction was completed by AJ. Montclair, Inc. in 2009. The park has since been dedicated by the Town Board, in memory of Jon T. (Jack) Rich, former chairman of the Town Planning Board, and longtime supporter of Parks within the Town., The original construction of the Oneida River Park in 2009 was possible through the help of many.and we thank them all for their support; , NYS Senator James Wright , NYS Assemblyman David Townsend , County Legislators Fred Beardsley and Art Ospelt , Town of Hastings Supervisor James Weatherup , Town Councilmen Mark Cowles, John Coleman, Ken Hotaling and Len Rice Town Highway Superintendent Bob Clark , Town Director of Planning and Community Development Mark Bombardo , Town of Hastings Master Plan Committee Town Planning Board Chairman and Park Supporter Jack Rich , NYSDOT Region 3 , NYS Canal Corporation , NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation , Barton and Loguidice, DPC , AJ. Montclair, Inc, , Support of the park continues from the current Town Board: Town of Hastings Supervisor Tony Bush Councilmen Ken Hotaling, Len Rice, John Coleman and John Hill, This Park is a Work in Progress… , The Town of Hastings has plans to expand the uses and amenities within the park, as additional funding becomes available. Since 2009, picnic tables, picnic grills, and docks have been added to the park. Donations are gladly accepted for much needed items (benches, lights, trash receptacles, signs), and volunteers are always welcome to help keep up the the general maintenance of the park. If you wish to become involved, please call the Town Office of Community Planning and Development at: (315) 668-2326., [ Park Rules and Nearby Points of Interest were not transcribed ]