The Upstate New York Towns Sacrificed to New York City

In the 1960s, a picturesque valley that was nestled in Upstate New York and bustled with life was demolished. Nearby villages were burned or flooded, and their inhabitants were forcibly displaced.

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Situated at the meeting point of Trout Creek and the West Branch Delaware River, a settlement was formed in 1786 by Jessie Dickenson and it was appropriately named  Dickenson City. However, despite Jessie's ambitious endeavors in establishing several businesses, his dream of witnessing the growth of a flourishing village failed.

Fast forward to the early 1800s, when Benjamin Cannon, who had acquired the land that was previously owned by Jessie Dickenson, erected a homestead on the opposite bank of the river. While Dickenson's village, failed, Cannonsville thrived.

Rich in lumber, the vicinity surrounding Cannonsville became a hub for logging activity. Enormous quantities of timber were harvested and floated down the river headed for markets in places like Philadelphia. As the lumber was cleared from the land, farmers settled in, transforming the landscape into cultivated fields.

Over the course of the next century and a half, the humble settlement expanded. Churches stood tall, while grocery stores, hardware shops, feed stores, post offices, and schools thrived. The village was full of life.

However, the promising future of Cannonsville, along with neighboring settlements like Granton, Rockrift, and Rockroyal, suffered a cruel blow when residents realized that their homes and the land connected to their ancestral roots would be swallowed whole by the creation of an extensive reservoir in order to provide drinking water for New York City.

Today, the submerged remains of Cannonsville reside in still waters, hidden from sight but refusing to be forgotten. The legacy of the village serves as a reminder that history cannot be erased, even when the physical remnants lie submerged.