MOHAWK - Discovering the Valley of the Crystals Copyright 2002
Burned Rocks at Little Falls
Burned Rocks - Stuff of Wonder and Legend
When the outlet of Glacial Lake Iroquois created the gap at Little Falls
it carved perpendicular walls of stone at the east end of the gorge. Thousands
of years later the walls on the north side of the river were particularly
impressive with their mantle of hardwoods and clinging cedars. These rocks
became the stuff of wonder and legend until 1844 when a manmade fire consumed
the trees in one fell swoop. A subsequent fire in 1853 "destroyed the duff
and humus" leaving the rocks bare and blackened . . . and forever called
"Burned Rocks."
Although scarred by man, Burned Rocks has recovered
its mantle of trees and clinging cedar, and is again a place of wonder
and legend.
is still a place of wonder, legend . . . and beauty.
One such legend was featured in The Mohawk Valley - Its Legends and its History, 1609-1780 - by W. Max Reid -1901. (You may need a dictionary for this.)
"In 1848 Benson J. Lossing passed down the Mohawk Valley, stopping at points of interest in search of material for his book Field Book of the Revolution. His description of Little Falls is very interesting. Among other things he describes a cavern on one of the cliffs which at that period overhung the New York Central Railroad at a point nearly opposite "Lover's Leap." He says:"The rugged shores present many incontestable evidences of abrasion by the violent action of the water, thirty to sixty feet above the present level of the river. Many of them are circular, perpendicular cavities in the hard rocks, which are composed chiefly of gneiss, granite and horn blende.
"On the western (northern) shore of the river a few yards from the railroad and about thirty feet above its bed is a large circular cavity with an opening about ten feet wide facing the river, and over its entrance a massive lintel which appears as if hewn and placed there by the hands of man. Within this cavity, which is open at the top, are smaller ones on its concave side. Indian legends invest these cavities with romantic interest. One of them I will repeat in brief, as it was told to me, for it is identified with the spot described.
"Long years ago, when the river was broader and the falls were more lofty, a feud arose between two young chiefs of two of the clans of the Mohawk tribe, the Wolf and Tortoise. A maiden of the Bear Clan was the cause of the feud, as maidens often are. She was loved by both of the young chiefs, and for a time she so coquetted that each thought himself beloved by her in return, (As maidens often do.) Her father was a stern old warrior, and loved his child tenderly. Both chiefs had fought the Mingoes and Mohegans by his side, and the bravery of each entitled him to the hand of the maiden. Her affections were at length stirred by the more earnest importunities of the Wolf, and she promised to become his bride. This decision reached the ears of the Tortoise, and the embers of jealousy which disturbed both while unaccepted suitors, burst into flame of ungenerous revenge in the bosom of the disappointed lover. He determined to possess the coveted treasure before the Wolf should take her to his wigwam. With well-dissembled acquiescence in her choice, and expressions of warm friendship for herself and her affianced, he allayed all suspicions, and the maiden rambled with him in the moonlight upon the banks of the river when her affianced was away, unconscious of danger. The day approached for the maiden to go to the wigwam of her lord. The Tortoise was with her alone in a secluded nook upon the bank of the river. His light canoe was near, and he proposed a voyage to a beautiful island in the stream, where the fire-flies sparkled and the whippoorwill whispered its evening serenade. They launched, but instead of paddling for the island, the Tortoise turned the prow toward the cataract. Like an arrow they sped down the swift current, which the young chief, with his vigorous arm, paddled for the northern shore. Skilful as with the bow and hatchet, he steered his canoe to the mouth of the cavern described, as then upon the water's brink, seized the affrighted maiden, and leaped ashore, at the same moment securing his canoe by a strong green withe. The cave was dry, a soft bed of skins of beasts was spread, and abundance of provisions were there stored. At the top of the cave, far above the maiden's reach, an opening revealed a passage through the fissures of the rocks above. It was known only to the Tortoise; and there he kept the maiden many months, until her affianced gave her up as lost to him forever. At length, while hunting on the southern hills in flowery May, the Wolf saw the canoe at the cavern. It solved the question in his mind. The evening was clear, and the full moon shone brightly. He waited until midnight, when, with an arm as strong and skill as accurate as his rival's, he steered his canoe to the mouth of the cavern, which was lighted by the moon. By its light he saw the perfidious Tortoise sleeping in the arms of an unwilling bride. The Wolf smote the Tortoise, but the wound was slight. The awakened warrior, unable to grasp his hatchet, bounded through the opening at the top of the cavern, and closed it with a heavy stone. The lovers embraced in momentary joy. It was brief, for a fearful doom seemed to await them. The Tortoise would return with power, and they had to make a choice of death by the hatchet of the rival chief or by the waters of the cataract. The latter was their choice, and in affectionate embrace they sat in their canoe and made the fearful leap. The frail vessel struck propitiously upon the boiling waters, and , unharmed, passed over the gulf below. Down the broad stream they glided, and far away, upon the margin of the lower lake they lived and loved for two generations, and saw their children go out to battle and the chase. In the long line of their descent, traditions avers, came Brant, the Mohawk sachem, the strong Wolf of his nation.""Since the above was written (in 1848) the New York Central Railroad has been widened at this point, by cutting away the face of the northern cliff, and the Dolgeville Railroad now climbs along an incline, also cut from this cliff, and has undoubtedly destroyed the cavern spoken of above. However, about five hundred feet from the viaduct that carries the last-named railroad across a deep ravine at the eastern end of the city, is to be seen what seems to be the back of this cavern, recessed about two feet from the present face of the cliff, and surmounted by a slab of lintel perhaps fifteen feet long and three feet thick ... ."
The Mohawk Valley Its Legends and its History - Reid 1901
Discovery: The Many Faces of Burned Rocks
March 12, 2002, 30 degrees, Snowing
This was not an ideal day to explore Burned Rocks. Snow and ice make
poor footing. No matter, like the mailmen of old, neither sleet nor snow
nor gloom of night would keep us from our appointed route. Besides we didn't
plan to climb the rock walls. The view from the Route 169 (Thruway Approach)
Bridge revealed an old roadbed part way up the gorge. Our plan was to climb
up to that roadbed and follow it east to the large cliff-side structure
that has intrigued me for years.
It was 10:15 a.m. when we parked in a pull-off under
the north end of the aforementioned bridge. We followed a dirt road and
trail up to the roadbed and walked to its western end. Two turkey vultures
took flight from a ledge among the rocks. These huge black birds with turkey-like
heads were early arrivals. Dozens of vultures spend much of the year in
the Little Falls area where they are frequently seen soaring high over
the valley.
From our vantage point we could look down
on the New York Central Railroad and west to the area of a terrible railroad
accident. On April 19, 1940 a speeding train jumped the track at the sharp
turn at "Gulf Bridge", killing 31 people. In 1947 the course of the river
was altered, the railroad moved and the bridge eliminated to reduce the
angle of the curve.
At the west end of the trail, we reversed direction. With ledges above
and cliffs below, we walked east through a gorge-side forest of oak, white
birch and cedar. Poplar grew in the railroad bed and in some areas the
trail was paved with acorns. New-fallen snow revealed the tracks of grey
squirrels.
Until we discovered rotting railroad ties beside
the trail, the origin of the roadbed was a mystery. When we measured a
mere 13 1/2 feet between the walls of a rocky cut, we were fairly certain
this wasn't a main line. We learned later it was the path of the 1892-1964
Little Falls and Dolgeville Railroad.
The trail crossed a couple of streams that cascaded from the rocks above
and then plummeted to a "pond" at the bottom of the cliff. The waterfalls
created a variety of ice formations along the ledges. Far below mallards
and mergansers swam in the stillwater between the cliff and the New York
Central Railroad.
I had told Dale about the Indian legend, so we were
on the lookout for areas that might have been a cave. One ledge looked
promising, so we walked down the trail until we found safe ascent, and
then walked back to the ledge. We discovered a couple of overhangs
that could provide shelter from the rain, but nothing like the cavern described
by Lossing. In retrospect, we were too far up the side of the gorge. Fact
is, we were less than a hundred feet below Route 5.
At 11:30 we stood at the top of cliff-side
structures that dominate the scenery from the south side of the river.
The massive concrete skeleton---windows, doors and other portals agape
---stepped down the side of the gorge to the railroad below. It was quite
apparent the product of this facility was delivered directly to the railroad.
Unlike the crushed stone facility we discovered on the other side of the
river, there were no remnants of that product.. However, a topographical
map indicated a large stone quarry on the north side of Route 5 directly
opposite the buildings, so there was a good chance that the stone from
that quarry was processed here. Until I could prove that theory, the purpose
of this industrial relic would remain a mystery.
The railroad bed continued eastward, but the trail
was overgrown with honeysuckle. I wondered who had maintained this trail
in the past.
The mile-long return trip provided different views
of the valley and rock outcrops. I couldn't help but wonder how all this
would look decorated with wildflowers and pale-green leaves on a sunny
Spring day. For sure, Burned Rocks would be the stuff of wonder,
legend . . . and beauty.
Post Script: A few days after exploring Burned Rocks
I purchased a copy of Jane Dieffenbacher's new book, Herkimer
County Valley Towns. When I opened the book I discovered a postcard
photograph of Burned Rocks and the Pierce Stone Company buildings. The
photo is provided here courtesy of the Herkimer County Historical Society.
Copies of Herkimer County Valley Towns can
be purchased for $20.00 at the Historical Society at the Historical Four
Corners in Herkimer, NY or by going on line at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyhchs/gift-shop/
Select New Book.
Follow the path of this discovery trip by clicking on Mohawk Valley Maps: by Maptech.
Type Little Falls, select New York, press GO!
Note: This is a 1942 topographic map so it doesn't include many of the roads and bridges at Little Falls.
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