Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway

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Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway
Maintained by NYSDEC
Length: 5.88 mi[1] (9.46 km)
Formed: 1969[2]
South end: US 9/NY 9N in Lake George
North end: Peak of Prospect Mountain
Counties: Warren
Numbered highways in New York
Interstate - U.S. - N.Y. - Reference

The Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway is a parkway located in the town of Lake George, New York. The road is 5.88 miles (9.46 km) long, starting at the US 9 and NY 9N concurrency and ending at the peak of Prospect Mountain. Although the road is designated as New York State Route 917A, an unsigned reference route, by the New York State Department of Transportation, all maintenance on the roadway is performed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.[3]

Contents

[edit] Route description

Cable gears for the old incline railway on Prospect Mountain
Cable gears for the old incline railway on Prospect Mountain

The parkway begins at an intersection with Routes 9 and 9N in the town of Lake George.[4] The parkway passes through a gate, heading up the base of Prospect Mountain. The route is very scenic, with trees on both sides of the road. Route 917A parallels Birch Street, a street in Lake George. Soon after, the parkway passes over Interstate 87 (the Adirondack Northway). The road expands to several lanes after the Northway, coming to a tollbooth. After the toll booth, the parkway begins to curve around the mountain, intersecting with several specialized scenic overlooks. The road curves around the several peaks of Prospect Mountain, coming to an end at the main peak at 5.88 miles (9.46 km), where a 100-mile (160 km) view can be seen.[4]

[edit] History

Prospect Mountain originally had to use an incline railway car to access the house at the top where people could dance and eat.[5] Construction on the railway began in January 1895 and cost $120,000 total. Construction was finished six months later, with the railway opening on June 15, 1895.[5] After failing financially, the railway system ceased operation in 1903.[6] The area was bought and soon donated to the State of New York. The nearby hiking trail that heads up towards the mountaintop is part of the old railway.[7]

In 1932, the building at the top of the mountain burned down and was replaced by a steel fire tower.[8] For 30 years, people studied what to do with the land, which was owned by the state, and in 1954, New York Governor Tom Dewey signed legislation to build a highway up the mountain. Twelve years later, in 1966, then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller made funds available for the highway.[8] The Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway was opened in 1969, dedicated to war veterans and providing access to the 2,021-foot (616 m) summit with a 100-mile (160 km) view at its peak.[2]

[edit] Major intersections

County Location Mile[1] Roads intersected Notes
Warren Village of Lake George 0.00 US 9 / NY 9N
Town of Lake George 5.88 Peak of Prospect Mountain

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b 2006 Traffic Data Report for New York State (PDF) p. 332. New York State Department of Transportation (2007-07-16). Retrieved on 2008-04-10.
  2. ^ a b Missing veterans honored on mountaintop (HTML). The Post-Star (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-25.
  3. ^ Official Description of Highway Touring Routes, Scenic Byways and Bicycle Routes in New York State (PDF). NYSDOT (2004). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  4. ^ a b Overview map of Route 917A (HTML). Google Maps (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-25.
  5. ^ a b The Catskill Archive (2007). THE PROSPECT MOUNTAIN CABLE INCLINE RAILWAY (HTML). Retrieved on 2007-12-28.
  6. ^ Dr. Patrick L. Cooney (2007). A Brief History of Lake George (HTML). Retrieved on 2007-12-28.
  7. ^ Lake George Area Scenic Byway - New York Scenic Drives (HTML). GORP (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-28.
  8. ^ a b Prospect Mountain in History (HTML). Lake George Historical Association (2002). Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
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Warren County, New York Highways