Near Fort Hunter in Montgomery County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Putman's Lock Grocery

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, September 2, 2011

1. Putman's Lock Grocery Marker

Inscription.
Putman's Lock Grocery, owned by the Garret Putman family from 1855 into the 1900s, is typical of the many stores which lined the canal. Part of the store, which contained living quarters and rooms for rent, was destroyed by fire in the 1930s. The basement was used as a tavern. The room behind the French doors was for general sales, displaying goods which ranged from clothing and tobacco for the canaller to harnesses and hay for the draft animals. The porch was a meeting place for those whose lives depended on the canal.

Erected by Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Erie Canal series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1855.

Location. 42° 57.167′ N, 74° 14.282′ W. Marker is near Fort Hunter, New York, in Montgomery County. It can be reached from Queen Anne Street. The marker is within Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, posted between the two lock chambers of Old Erie Canal Lock number 28, which is also known as the Yankee Hill Lock. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Hunter NY 12069, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York

and in the Mohawk Valley.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lock 28 - Yankee Hill Lock (here,

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next to this marker); Schoharie Crossing (a few steps from this marker); Two Problems Solved (within shouting distance of this marker); The Last Improvements (within shouting distance of this marker); Barge Canal (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Canal Culverts (about 300 feet away); Fort Johnson, 1749 (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Fort Johnson (approx. 0.3 miles away).

Regarding Putman's Lock Grocery. Putman's Store began as a family business. Garret and his son John were listed as grocers in the 1855 New York State census. Their wives, Garret's daughter and another son were also part of the household living at the family homestead near the store. By 1860, the scene had changed. John and Garret had returned to farming, while neighbors of the Putmans ran the canal store. Thus began a pattern that would last until 1892; the Putman's owned the grocery while an ever-changing roster of neighbors acted as the grocers. Althought Johnn Putman was again listed as a store keeper in 1892, he later returned to farming. It is probable that by 1900, or 1905 the latest, the store was no longer in operation.

In its

Putman's Lock Grocery and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, September 2, 2011

2. Putman's Lock Grocery and Marker

The recent flooding of the Mohawk River after Hurricane Irene washed away the wooden footbridges that crossed the two lock chambers here between the parking area and Putman's Lock Grocery. They were later recovered and re-erected here at the lock. The marker is in the upper-right, between the two lock chambers.

heyday, the fourteen-mile section of the Erie Canal near Amsterdam, New York, boasted forty stores. Businesses similar to the Putman's Grocery were located at just about every lock on the canal and at many points in between. As one canalman noted, these stores provided an astounding variety of goods and services. Canalside stores stocked anything a canal fleet needed in the way of patent medicine, cooking pots, tinware, candy, food, shoes, clothing, raingear, and drygoods. Also available were supplies such as hay, oats, straw, or shavings, harnesses, horse collars, whiffle trees, tow lines, horse bridges, fenders, pike poles, hardware, etc. It was also possible to replenish cooking and drinking water at these places; kerosene, or coal oil had to be obtained from these supply points as oil lamps were the only type of illumination to be had on the canal boats at that time.

Also see . . .
1. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site. NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website entry (Submitted on September 24, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York.)

2. Enlarged Erie Canal "Yankee Hill" Lock No. 28 at Fort Hunter, N.Y. Erie Canal website entry (Submitted on September 24, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York.)

Additional keywords.

Putman's Lock Grocery before Restoration image. Click for full size.

Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record, circa 1970

3. Putman's Lock Grocery before Restoration

Yankee Hill Lock Lock 28 Lock No 28 Lock #28 Fort Hunter Lock

Putman's Lock Grocery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, November 29, 2008

4. Putman's Lock Grocery

Putman's Lock Grocery with Old Erie Canal Lock 28 in the Foreground image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, September 2, 2011

5. Putman's Lock Grocery with Old Erie Canal Lock 28 in the Foreground

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, November 29, 2008

6. Putman's Lock Grocery

Putman's Lock Grocery and Lock #28 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, May 20, 2007

7. Putman's Lock Grocery and Lock #28

Putman's Lock Grocery Flooded after Hurricane Irene image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, August 29, 2011

8. Putman's Lock Grocery Flooded after Hurricane Irene

Photographed by Howard C. Ohlhous, November 29, 2008

9. Putman's Lock Grocery

This is a view of the Mohawk River to the west. The abandoned canal and Grocery are in the lower portion of the photo, with canal lock #28 on the left and the Barge Canal / Mohawk River on the right. This photo is from another display nearby. The roadway that was built to the former grocery building by filling in part of the lock is shown. Also the rail bed to the south of the road appears to still have rail and a line of telegraph poles. The former railroad right of way is now the bike path, which is part of the state-wide Canalway Trail that follows the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 24, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 1,491 times since then and 68 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on September 24, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.