The Kayaderosseras Creek, usually shortened to Kaydeross, is the largest river that lies completely within
Saratoga County,
New York State
New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...
. It originates in the Kayaderosseras Range in the northern part of the county, passes through the towns of
Corinth
Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...
,
Greenfield, and
Milton, and serves as the boundary between the City of
Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over ...
and the
Town of Malta before emptying into
Saratoga Lake
Saratoga Lake is in the eastern part of Saratoga County, New York. The lake is approximately long, about wide at its widest point, and about deep.
The lake is bordered by the city of Saratoga Springs on the northwest, the town of Malta on t ...
.
History
The
Mohawk tribe of the
Iroquois
The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...
Five Nations used the associated valley as a summer hunting and fishing destination. In Arthur James Johnson's ''History of Round Lake, N.Y.'', the name ''Kayaderosseras'' is described as an "Indian name" purchased by the colony of New York from the Mohicans. However, James goes on to claim that the word is "evidently a corruption by mispronunciation of two French terms: ''pays arrosé'', a watered country, or ''pays des ruisseaux'', a
country of streams.
The creek is best known for providing water power to a host of paper mills and a hard edge-tool factory in the 19th century. "Paper Bag King"
George West established his
paper bag
A paper bag is a bag made of paper, usually kraft paper. Paper bags can be made either with virgin or recycled fibres to meet customers' demands. Paper bags are commonly used as shopping bag, shopping carrier bags and for packaging of some co ...
empire on the banks of the Kayaderosseras Creek in
Rock City Falls in 1862. Of the dozen paper mills situated along the creek in the late 19th century, only the Cottrell Paper Company is still in operation as of 2024.
From 1898 to 1929, the
Kaydeross Railroad
The Kaydeross Railroad, earlier known as the Eastern New York Railroad and Ballston Terminal Railroad, was an electric-powered trolley line that served industries along the Kayaderosseras Creek in the town of Milton, Saratoga County, New Yor ...
, or Ballston Terminal Railroad, a
trolley railroad line, closely followed the banks of the creek to serve the paper mills and
Isaiah Blood's tool factory. Although this line also carried passengers, it mainly existed to carry freight.
Over-logging caused the flow of the creek to decrease dramatically in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today the creek possesses several popular fishing spots, especially in
Rock City Falls, Milton Center, and Craneville. The principal fish is the
brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a species of salmonid ray-finned fish and the most widely distributed species of the genus ''Salmo'', endemic to most of Europe, West Asia and parts of North Africa, and has been widely introduced globally ...
, which is stocked.
Gallery
Image:Kaydeross_MinerRoad.jpg, Kayaderosseras Creek crossing Miner Road in Corinth NY, near its source
Image:Kayaderosseras Creek at Howe Road.jpg, Kayaderosseras Creek crossing Howe Road in Corinth NY
Image:Kayaderosseras Creek at Spier Falls Road.jpg, Kayaderosseras Creek Crossing Spier Falls Road in Greenfield NY
Image:Kayaderosseras Creek at Ballston Spa NY.jpg, Kayaderosseras Creek at the former Union Mill complex in Ballston Spa, NY
Image:Kayaderosseras Creek Below Ballston Spa.jpg, Kayaderosseras Creek below Ballston Spa crossed by railroad trestle
Image:The Mourning Kill joins the Karaderosseras.jpg, Confluence of the Mourning Kill with the Kayaderosseras Creek in Malta, NY
Image:Kaydeross Creek in the Arrowhead Casino Prehistoric Site.jpg, Kayaderosseras Creek near its mouth
Image:Mouth of Kaydeross Creek at Saratoga Lake.jpg, Mouth of Kayaderosseras Creek at Saratoga Lake
References
*''The Ballston Terminal Railroad And Its Successors,'' 2007
External links
Friends of the KayaderosserasBallston Spa History - Industries and RailroadsTown of Milton, N.Y.Taff, Conor. "Geologic History of the Kayaderosseras Watershed"Kayaderosseras Creek Preserve
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Rivers of New York (state)
Rivers of Saratoga County, New York