No. 112.] 711 



and tlie ravines and slopes in Lewis, Elizabethtown and Keene, 

 were all occapied previous to 1798. 



An exploring party from the east had reached an eminence in 

 Erlizxbe til town, that looks down upon the beautiful vale now oo- 

 cupied by the county seat of EssfX county, embosomed among a 

 lofty group of mountains, and adorneil by the branches of the 

 Boquet, which glide thrcnigh its verdant plains, and gazing in 

 delight upon tlie scene, they pronounced it '' Pleasant Valley." 

 it still preserves, by common sentiment, the name and the same 

 pre-eminence. * 



Schioon was settled about the year '97, by Samuel Scribner, 

 Thomas Leland, Moses Patee, Benjamin Banker and Simeon Praw- 

 fion, who were all men of Nevv England. Thomas Hinckley, 

 made the first purchase in the town of Lewis, in 1706. The 

 most important measure designed to open and develope the inte- 

 rior sections of the county, was the enactment of laws which au- 

 thoriztid the construction, by Piatt Rogers, and others, of public 

 roads. I have already referred to one. Another was authorized 

 to be consti'ucted from Sandy Hill to the Canada line, and pass- 

 ing along the Schroon valley, through Eliza'.'ethtown and Lewis, 

 -and crossed the Au Sable river at a fording place nearKeeseville. 

 This h'2:hway is still designated as " the old State road." Nume- 

 rous appropriations, at more recent periods, have been made by 

 the State, for the construction of public roads, which traverse 

 the county in various directions. 



One of these, opened many years since, extending from West- 

 port to llopkinton, traversing Elizabeihfown, the goiges of the 

 Keene mountains, and the plains of North Elba, penetrated what 

 was then denominated, the ^' titty miles woods."' 



A road, constructed under acts of 1811 and Ml, fr- ni Lake 

 Champbi o to Car harpje, in Jtdferson county, is now in ]»r<'gref5<», 

 and is built by an application of specific road taxes. It pa>se« 

 through the towns of Crown Point, Schroon and Newc«>mb, pene- 

 trating the heart of the Adirondacs. These avenues arc ot the 

 deepest importance in promoting the progress and imi)iovenient 

 of the county. Rogers and his associates, received an enornjouf 



