134 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



A number of beaches of the lake have been located. One, well 

 preserved, is on the north side of the hill, one-half of a mile north of 

 Harrietstown, as is indicated on the glacial map. Others, of minor 

 and insignificant nature, were seen in other portions of the region. 



The western portion of Upper Newman lake was even more 

 extensive, if the writer's conception of this body of water is correct, 

 than the South Meadows lake. It covered the area occupied by 

 Lake Placid, the western end of the Wilmington notch, sent a four- 

 fingered bay into the South Meadows country, likewise a long arm 

 into the valley of the Chubb river and flooded the Lake Clear-Saranac 

 district. Eastward escape through the Wilmington notch was pre- 

 vented by ice lying in the valley of the East branch of the Ausable, 

 which, however, had retreated enough to allow a glacial lake to 

 accumulate in the Keene valley, but no connection was possible 

 between this area and our region for some time. The lake in Keene 

 valley, the Keene lake, had a drainage to the south. 



The gradual withdrawal of the lobe of ice in the Keene valley in 

 time progressed sufficiently to allow connection between Keene 

 valley and the Lake Placid district by means of the Wilmington 

 notch, permitting the eastern section to drain westward into the 

 area immediately concerned here. This ushered in the eastern 

 portion of Upper Lake Newman, a successor to the Keene lake. 

 Thus for a short time Upper Newman was a very large lake involving 

 considerable area. 



Lower Newman Lake 



Soon, however, after the formation of Greater Upper Newman, 

 the outlet was lowered by a shift of escapes so initiating a body of 

 glacial waters with a range of levels from 1740 to 1780 feet altitude 

 (at the present time) . This lake was very similar in general character 

 to the one just preceding it. It extended a little farther north and 

 washed the slopes of the hills at a little lower altitude. The reason 

 for subdividing the lake into the upper and lower phases is that there 

 exists a distinct line of separation in the terraces, particularly in 

 the neighborhood of John Brown's grave, along the West branch 

 of the Ausable river. The Harrietstown beach, above referred to, 

 is an excellent example. Its altitude is about 1800 feet and thus it 

 belongs to the upper lake, but 20 feet or more below there is a fairly 

 steep bank that is the critical feature. In the east, in Keene valley, 

 this line of separation is apparently not present, for the life of the 

 upper lake there was extremely short in comparison with that of the 

 western section, and the amount of material available for building 



