3§ 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Albany. This was the Indian Ladder road. Another crossed the 

 town of Middleburg to the Catskill, following that stream to the 

 Hudson. 



It is evident that these trails came from the recent occupation of 

 Schoharie creek by the Mohawks, of the Susquehanna by the 

 Oneidas and Tuscaroras, and of the Chemung by the Cayugas ; in 

 part by all. In 1753 there was no road at all along the north bank 

 of the Susquehanna from Owego to the Chenango river. 



It is so obvious that most trails came from the situation of towns, 

 changing as these did, that it can be assumed that trails connected 

 all friendly towns of any given period. Their rapid obliteration 

 may also be inferred from the fact that no one pretends to locate, 

 by physical features or oral tradition, any trail used 250 years ago. 

 We know the general course of some yet older, but not because any 

 one has seen their traces. In still more cases we know where early 

 towns stood, but have no hint what thoroughfares led to other 

 places. These certainly existed, but have left no visible signs. 

 Indeed it is quite probable that the later trails had their prominent 

 features more from the white man's shoes and the hoofs of cattle 

 than from the Indian's moccasin. Woodland paths are common 

 now by every lake and stream ; when and by whom were they made ? 

 Ask our farmers, hunters and fishermen. 



That Indian trails were well defined from Utica westward, soon 

 after the Revolution, no one will doubt. That some of them afforded 

 the best lines of travel for pioneers is. just as clear. The Indian 

 was a well trained woodman, and the white man profited by his 

 skill, but in the nature of things the great results would have been 

 much the same had the latter been left to himself. The New York 

 Central Railroad would have gone from Albany to Buffalo had there 

 never been an Indian trail in the State. . . 



Some of these early routes have interest, and the location of some 

 on early maps may be mentioned. A few local trails will be also 

 referred to, but it is evident that no complete account could be given 

 unless we knew the age and nationality of every town. 



The earliest trail which can be traced westward from Albany is 

 from the itinerary of Arent Van Curler in 1634. His recorded miles 



