It was created with the intentional flooding of the Sacandaga Valley upon the completion of the Conklingville Dam in the town of Hadley along the Sacandaga River in 1930. This was the biggest reservoir in the area ever to be built. In 1930, the Conklingville Dam was built, and controlled flooding turned a river into the Great Sacandaga Lake, the largest reservoir in New York state. A view of the Great Sacandaga Lake from a nearby overlook
Only after several large floods impacted downstream communities, such as the city of Albany, was there a serious and concerted effort by the state to explore flood control. He was named Warraghiyagey (‘doer of great things or ‘chief big business’) by the Alliance. Despite the flooding problems in the Spring, the river would dry up in the summer shutting down mills and factories and creating health hazards. Cottages sprung up, a theater and Golf course were built, followed by a huge midway with carousels.The Sport Island Complex was built and was home to the New York State Baseball League. Sacandaga is an old Mohawk word meaning “the land of waving grass”.Over 900 years ago, The valley was then inhabited by the indigenous people of the area who, after fifty years of war, formed a great peace known as the Iroquois Alliance and included The Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. A dam was built at Conklingville measuring 115 feet high and on March 27, 1930 the gates were closed. The Great Sacandaga Lake Nestled in the southern foothills of the majestic Adirondack Mountains is the Great Sacandaga Lake, the largest man-made body of water in New York State.
They supplemented their diet with hunting and wild fruits.Sir William Johnson left Ireland at the age of 23 and came to settle in the Mohawk river valley he brought 12 families with him in 1738 and had increased the number to 26 by 1742.As a result of Sir William’s real estate transactions, he acquired more than 200,000 acres, which led him to encourage Irish and Scottish Highlanders to migrate to Johnstown, a community consisting of mills, shops, smiths and other structures including Johnson Hall, his residence.Johnson became an Indian merchant and through trust and good will developed a close relationship with the Iroquois Alliance. Sacandaga is an old Mohawk word meaning “the land of waving grass”. Some of the fines upon citizens reads as follows from in 1808 a citizen was fined $3.37 for swearing six times, fine for Violating the Sabbath $3.34. No tax dollars were used, It was paid for by the businesses benefiting from the flood protection!This was no easy task.