Home of Verplanck Colvin - New York Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

On Thursday, May 25, 2006 - The Eastern New York Society of Land Surveyors held the dedication ceremony for the new Historical Marker. The Keynote speaker was State Assemblyman John McEneny who has an ancestor that served on one of Verplank Colvin's crews, and whose Assembly District includes the site of the marker. The Master of Ceremonies was Charlie Hartnett, L.S., with speeches by Kermit Remele L.S., Organizer of the Colvin Crew, and Joe Malinowski L.S., President of the Eastern New York Society of Land Surveyors. In attendence were representatives of the New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors, Reverend Victorson and members of the First Lutheran Church, members of ENYSLS, NYSAPLS, camera crews from several local television stations, as well as interested passers-by. After the presentation, the group was treated to refreshments and coffee by the First Lutheran Church
Courtesy of Eastern New York Society of Land Surveyors
Verplanck Colvin Historical Sign Project

Verplanck Colvin (1847–1920) was a lawyer and topographical engineer whose understanding and appreciation for the environment of the Adirondack Mountains lead to the creation of New York's Forest Preserve and the Adirondack Park.

Born in Albany, New York to a wealthy family, he was educated at private schools where he excelled in the sciences. In 1864, he joined his father's law office in Albany and was later admitted to the bar.

In 1865, at the age of 18, he started exploring the Adirondack wilderness and thereafter spent his summers in exploration. During the summer of 1869 he climbed Mount Marcy, and in 1870 made the first recorded ascent of Seward Mountain. In 1872 he applied to the New York state legislature for a stipend to institute a survey of the Adirondacks. During the first year he discovered Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds, the source of the Hudson river.

He directed surveying parties throughout the Adirondacks and determined the altitudes of most of the highest peaks, becoming obsessed with his task. Determined to fix the precise altitude of Mount Marcy (having decided that the barometric method of determining altitude was insufficiently accurate) he ran a series of eight hundred chains and levels over forty miles long from Lake Champlain to Marcy, each intermediate altitude being calculated to one thousandth of an inch.

In 1873 he wrote a report arguing that if the Adirondack watershed was allowed to deteriorate, it would threaten the viability of the Erie Canal, which was then vital to New York's economy, and that the entire Adirondack region should therefore be protected by the creation of a state forest preserve. He was subsequently appointed superintendent of the New York state land survey, which led to the creation of the Adirondack Forest Preserve in 1885. His work ended in 1900 when then Governor Theodore Roosevelt transferred his duties to the state engineer.

Marker Name: THE ELMS Marker Type: City Agency: NEW YORK STATE LAND SURVEYORS Dedication Date: -9223372036854775808 City/Town/Village Name: ALBANY County: Albany Region: Capital-Saratoga (Region 7) Website: [Web Link]

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