Lyndonville Dam Falls

Tell people about it

Pictures For Sale

Books

Description

AKA: Lyndonville Falls; Village of Lyndonville Dam
The Village of Lyndonville Dam is an 11 ft high, 275 ft across concrete dam with a small bend at the northern end. The bend's purpose was to channel water through an old mill race (the mills and the race have long since been razed). The property on the northern end boarders a village school, while on the southern end lies a small park, complete with benches and a white wooden fence.

Water from Johnson Creek pools just above the dam, creating excellent fishing and canoeing opportunities along the 4 acre lake. Though the dam itself is wide and level and the flow over it is smooth and uneventful. The sheer quantity of water allows for a decent roar, helping to drown out the noisy traffic from the adjacent Rt 63. A large rocky pool lies bellow the dam and fish can be easily spotted within it. The creek continues under the Rt 63 bridge and heads north east towards Lake Ontario.

Although there is not much to this waterfall, if you are in the area, it is a very nice spot to picnic or fish.

History

Pioneers from Lyndon, Vermont first settled here taking advantage of the fast and reliable waters of Johnson Creek to power their mills. The current site of Lyndonville dam is where a small waterfall existed, providing the geological gradient needed for easy waterpower. Several mills were built along the shores of the creek at this location, with many owners forming a conglomerate to dam the creek for more regulated flow and to share a common mill race.

One of the first settlers of the village was Jackson Blood, who arrived here in 1815 and built a cobblestone house on what is now Rt 63, just south of where it crosses over Johnson Creek. Mr. Blood farmed a large track of land on Lake Ontario where he collected the glacially-rounded stones for the construction of the cobblestone home. The home is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The combination of the mills on Johnsonville Creek and the arrival of the Rome-Watertown-Ogdensburg Railroad allowed Lyndonville to grow as a business center. The village was incorporated in 1903; the last village to be formed in Orleans county. The Village Dam, in its current form, was constructed in 1948. The William Gray Foundry, which produced steel parts for horse collars, operated here since the early 1800s and was torn down in 1952 to make way for the creek-side park.

Hiking / Trails / Exploration

Difficulty: Easy.

Distance: A few feet.

Markings: None.

Description: Just head towards the dam-it's right there. The park is located to the south.

Maps: See the interactive map below;

Photography tips

Wide angle — bring that wide angle lens; this waterfalls is wide. Or try a panoramic spread.

The park — try to incorporate the flowering trees of the park into your shots.

Interesting Stuff

Shoe Trees — Northeast of Lyndonville, on the junction of Lakeshore and Foss Rds is a pair of trees, covered with hundreds of pairs of shoes. (map)

Cobblestone Homes — were popular amongst early settlers in this region due to the abundance of rounded stones of the Great Lakes. Many settlers used the massive amounts of pebbles unearthed as they plowed their surrounding farmland. Other would travel to the beach of Lake Ontario to gather them. Several surviving cobblestone buildings, including a schoolhouse, can be found along Rt 104. The Jackson Blood Greek revival home can be found just south of Lyndonville Dam, along Rt 63.

Links of Interest

Jackson Blood Cobblestone Home

Who to Contact

Village of Lyndonville
2 South Main St.
Lyndonville, NY 14098-0273
Phone: (585) 765-9385