State Route 74 (New York–Vermont)

Infobox road
highway_name=NYS/VT Route 74
marker_

---

map_notes=NY 74 and VT 74 highlighted in red
route=74
maint=NYSDOT and VTrans
length_mi=34.70
length_notes=New York: 20.44 mi
Vermont: 13.26 mi
length_round=2
length_ref=
established=New York: 1970s (1930 as NY 73)
Vermont: 1950
direction_a=West
starting_terminus=
junction=jct|state=NY|NY|9N|NY|22 in Ticonderoga, NY

---

jct|state=VT|VT|22A in Shoreham, VT
direction_b=East
ending_terminus=
counties=Essex (NY), Addison (VT)
browse=ny browse|previous_route=73|previous_type=NY|next_type=NY|next_route=75|route=New York
previous_type=NY
previous_route=73
next_type=NY
next_route=75

New York State Route 74 and Vermont Route 74 are state highways respectively located within Essex County, New York and Addison County, Vermont in the United States. New York State Route 74 extends from Exit 28 of Interstate 87 in the hamlet of Severance to the western shore of Lake Champlain in Ticonderoga. It passes the entrance to Fort Ticonderoga along its convert|20.44|mi|km|abbr=on route. At Lake Champlain a seasonal ferry carries cars across the state border into Vermont. Vermont Route 74 starts at Larabees Point at the lake's eastern shore and travels into Shoreham where it intersects with Vermont Route 22A. The highway has a short concurrency with 22A before heading to the northeast to Cornwall. Vermont Route 74 terminates in Cornwall at an intersection with Vermont Route 30.

Due to extensive reassignments of state highway designations, the entire length of New York Route 74 consists of renamed segments from other New York state highways. The stretch of NY 74 from New York State Route 28N in Tawahus, New York to New York State Route 22 in Ticonderoga was designated New York State Route 73 during the early twentieth century. The rest of the highway was part of original New York State Route 347, which went from NY 22 to the Lake Champlain ferry. The southern segment of NY 73 became NY 74, and at the same time as this reassignment the Chautaqua County alignment of Route 74 was renumbered to New York State Route 474.

Multiple realignments have also occurred on the corresponding Vermont highway. Vermont Route 74 was first known as Vermont Route F-9. For a time Vermont Route F-9A became a part of a realigned F-9, though both alignments were later renumbered. VT 73 originally connected to the ferry and VT 74 ended at VT 73, but those designations have since changed.

Route description

NY 74

New York State Route 74 originates at Exit 28 of the Adirondack Northway (I-87) in the town of Schroon. The starting interchange has a view of local landmark Severance Hill, which reaches an altitude of convert|1600|ft|m. Route 74 intersects with the north–south U.S. Route 9 shortly after the northbound ramps of the Adirondack Northway, then meets Stowell Road before crossing the Schroon River. The highway meets a few local road intersections just south of Goosebury Hill before encountering Paradox Lake. NY 74 runs mostly parallel to the lake and intersects with a local campground entrance road as it continues eastward out of Schroon.cite map|publisher=Google Maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS232US232&q=from:+NYS+Route+74/RT-74+%4043.871460,+-73.755100+to:+RT-74+%4043.854022,+-73.385637&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Overview Map of NY 74|accessdate=2008-01-30]

Cotters Pond is a small landmark located beyond a few mountains and hills on the southern side of Route 74 near the end of Paradox Lake. Shortly afterward NY 74 passes Bumbo Pond and enters the hamlet of Paradox. After leaving Paradox, Route 74 turns to the southeast along the base of Skiff Mountain. A creek appears on the southern side of the highway and flows into Eagle Lake. Route 74 crosses over Eagle Lake and runs along the base of Eagle Cliff and the shores of the lake. Eagle Lake comes to an end, and the highway intersects with County Route 2, the first numbered highway since to meet 74 since US 9.This stretch of NY 74 skirts the base of Keeney Mountain, which peaks at convert|1400|ft|m. Route 74 then intersects with County Route 56, which parallels the main route to the south. Route 56 merges back with Route 74, which leaves the mountainous region for the village of Ticonderoga. The highway intersects with New York State Route 9N and New York State Route 22. The latter of the two highways becomes concurrent with 74. Routes 74 and 22 continue to the east, heading around the outskirts of Ticonderoga. NY 74 meets an intersection with County Route 49 before Route 74 turns to the southeast. Route 74 and Route 22 head to the south towards downtown Ticonderoga. At the intersection with Montcalm Street, Route 74 turns eastward off Route 22, which heads southward for Washington County.

Route 74 crosses local roads as it continues eastward toward Lake Champlain. The highway passes the entrance to Fort Ticonderoga shortly before passing the Ticonderoga Amtrak station, then terminates at a ferry landing by Lake Champlain at the state border. Vermont Route 74 begins at the other side of the lake.

Ticonderoga–Larrabees Point Ferry

The Ticonderoga–Larrabees Point Ferry is the oldest and southernmost ferry on Lake Champlain and is one of the last remaining cable ferries in North America.cite web|url=http://www.middlebury.net/tiferry/|title=Ticonderoga Ferry|author=James A. Peden|year=2008|accessdate=2008-08-27|publisher=Middlebury Networks] Its cable system is comprised of two convert|1.1|in|cm steel cables in parallel alignment. The current ferry barge is powered by a sixteen ton tugboat built in 1979 that can hold up to 18 cars and has been in operation since 1959. The seasonal ferry is half a mile long and operates from May through October.cite map|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS232US232&q=from%3A%20Fort%20Ticonderoga-Larrabees%20Point%20Fry%20%4043.854016%2C%20-73.385363%20to%3A%20Fort%20Ticonderoga-Larrabees%20Pt%20Fry%20%4043.855254%2C%20-73.376423&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Fort Ticonderoga-Larrabees Point Fry @43.854016, -73.385363|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=2008-08-27] The seven minute passage operates during daylight hours. The United States Coast Guard inspects the ferry because Lake Champlain is a federal waterway.

VT 74

After crossing the state line via the Ticonderoga–Larrabees Point Ferry, Route 74 begins its track into Vermont. The highway goes shortly to the north, passing small bits of civilization. There are several tree patches as well, but both soon disappear into fields and farmlands. About convert|0.49|mi|km in, Route 74 intersects with Route 73, and soon after, Barnum Hill Road. At the Barnum Hill intersection, Route 74 passes some civilization, turning northwards in the process. At Smith Street, it turns to the northeast, winding through a patch of forests. Route 74 thrn climbs a hill and intersects with Harrington Hill Road, where it turns northward once again.cite map|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS232US232&q=from%3A%20Fort%20Ticonderoga-Larrabees%20Pt%20Fry%20%4043.854510%2C%20-73.381900%20to%3A%20VT-74%20%4043.887550%2C%20-73.322276%20to%3AVT-74%20%4043.960808%2C%20-73.209842&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Overview map of VT 74|publisher=Google Maps|cartography=NAVTEQ|accessdate=2008-08-26|date=2008]

Fields and forests surround this thinly populated stretch of highway. At the intersection with Blue Harbor Road, Route 74 turns east, heading for downtown Shoreham. Route 74 does enter downtown Shoreham, becoming known as Main Street. Not far after, the highway intersects with Vermont Route 22A and becomes concurrent. However, this stretch of Main Street is highly populated compared to most of the highway. The route begins its concurrency with Route 22A in Shoreham, heading only a short, populated distance before turning off Route 22A for a northeastern route to Cornwall.The beginning segment of VT 74 after the concurrency is moderately populated, heading eastward once again. However, the highway becomes rural, and turns once again to the northeast. Route 74 then continues following this for most of the distance to Cornwall. This patch of the highway is mainly forests, with fields also in the area. The highway edges more straight to the northeast at an intersection with Bates Road, and a connector road, North Palmer Road, merges in afterward. VT 74 becomes much straighter around the intersection with Elmendorf Road, as it continues its stretch to Cornwall. After Doolittle Road, the highway becomes straight, intersecting with several township highways. The highway then passes through fields and homes afterwards as it gets closer to Cornwall.

Route 74 continues to wind through rural parts of Vermont, becoming more populated as it enters the Cornwall area. At Clark Road, it turns to the northeast once again, passing through more forests before terminating at Vermont Route 30 in Cornwall.

History

Schroon and its early highways

The town of Schroon was split from the town of Crown Point on March 20, 1804. Minvera was created by another split from the town in March 1817. The town eventually was cut even further back to Crown Point in 1840. The early settlers of the area came around 1797, in an area of wilderness. The town eventually built what they called the "old state road", which passed through the Schroon Valley. This state road, along with another that makes up most of eventual NY 74, were big in the 1810s, 20s, 30s and 40s. Schroon has continued to grow, with the "old state road" now part of U.S. Route 9 and the other state road being part of NY 74 and County Route 84. Today, the Adirondack Northway heads through Schroon as well, passing some of the more rural regions of the Adirondacks.cite book|title=The History of Essex County|author=H.P. Smith|publisher=D. Mason and Company|year=1885]

Old roads

The entire length of NY 74 from Ticonderoga to Schroon was once made up of Ticonderoga and Schroon Turnpike. The turnpike, chartered in April 1832, was built to a stretch of highway from the two towns.cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=c-VKAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA312&dq=Ticonderoga+and+Schroon+Turnpike&ei=W7e0SPHvGJWKyQTozNG0Dw|title=Journal of the Senate of the State of New-York, at their Fifty-Fifth session |pages=312|author=New York State Senate|publisher=E. Croswell|date=1832|accessdate=2008-08-27] Two toll gates were erected specifically for use on the highway, but the charter stated that there could be another toll gate approximately every ten miles completed highway. The erectors of the turnpike were to have a total of 600 shares valued at $25 each. $20,000 was also readied for properties along the highway.cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=o1k4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA520&dq=ticonderoga+and+schroon+turnpike&lr=&ei=CXyxSKjJN43IywThv9CFBw#PPA520,M1v|title=Laws of the State of New York Passed at the Sessions of the Legislature|author=New York (State). Legislative|pages=520–521|year=1832|publisher=Legislative Bill Drafting Commission|accessdate=2008-08-24]

Designation

When legislative routes were first defined in New York in 1909, modern Route 74 was originally numbered Route 22B, which ran for convert|17.05|mi|km from Schroon to Ticonderoga, where it would intersect with Route 22 (modern NY 22). [cite map|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=m9INAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA509&dq=State+Route+22B,++Ticonderoga&ei=4iGySOm-MYGCywSU8p31Bg|title=Report of the State Commissioner of Highways Report of the State Commissioner of Highways|publisher=New York State Department of Highways|page=509|accessdate=2008-08-24] In 1924, when state highways were first publicly signed with route numbers, the highway from Schroon to Ticonderoga remained unnumbered.cite news|title=New York's Main Highways Designated by Numbers|work=New York Times|date=1924-12-21|page=XX9] During the 1930 renumbering, the segment of modern NY 74 between US Route 9 in Schroon and NY 22 in Ticonderoga was originally designated as part of New York State Route 73,cite news|author=Leon A. Dickinson|title=New Signs for State Highways|work=New York Times|date=1930-01-12|page=136] a route extending from NY 28N in Tahawus to Ticonderoga.cite map |title=Road Map & Historical Guide — New York |publisher=Sun Oil Company |year=1935 |cartography=Rand McNally and Company] The length from Schroon to Newcomb was removed from the state highway system by 1936. The concurrency with U.S. Route 9 was eliminated from Schroon to North Hudson for a terminus (at US 9) in Schroon.cite map|date=1936|title=New York State Map|publisher=Esso|cartography=General Drafting Inc.|year=1936] The stretch from North Hudson to Tawahus is currently designated as County Route 84, beginning at NY 28N in Tawahus and ending at US 9 in North Hudson.cite map|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS232US232&q=from%3A%20Blue%20Ridge%20Rd%2FCR-84%20%4043.948310%2C%20-74.068730%20to%3A%20Blue%20Ridge%20Rd%2FCR-84%20%4043.952648%2C%20-73.728458&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Overview map of Essex CR 84|publisher=Google Maps|cartography=NAVTEQ|date=2008|accessdate=2008-08-26]

On the Vermont side, the road connecting Larrabees Point to the main north-south highways in the area was designated in the mid-1920s as Vermont Route F-9. Route F-9 began in the town center of Orwell and went northwest to the ferry landing at Larrabees Point (via modern VT 73). From there, Route F-9 continued northeast to Shoreham center at what was then Vermont Route 30A (modern VT 22A). In Shoreham, Route F-9 continued east along what are now town highways through Whiting to Leicester on U.S. Route 7. Modern VT 74 between Shoreham and Cornwall centers was at the time known as Vermont Route F-9A. By 1947, the Shoreham-Leicester section of Route F-9 was decommissioned and F-9A (Shoreham-Cornwall) became part of F-9. [cite map |title=Official Highway Map of New York State |publisher=State of New York Department of Public Works |edition=1947-48 |cartography=General Drafting]

By 1935, a spur connecting NY 22 to the ferry for Larrabees Point was designated as New York State Route 347. In 1950, New York extended NY 73 using former NY 347 (via Wicker and Montcalm Streets) and the ferry into Vermont, which renumbered the Larrabees Point-Orwell section of VT F-9 to VT 73 in order to match the New York route number.cite map|url=http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/gisdata/quads/drg24/usgspreview/index.cfm?code=o43073g4|title=Ticonderoga, NY quadrangle|publisher=United States Geological Survey|cartography=United States Geological Survey|year=1950|accessdate=2008-08-24] [cite map |title=New York with Sight-Seeing Guide |publisher=Esso |cartography=General Drafting |year=1962] At the same time, the Larrabees Point-Cornwall section of VT F-9 was renumbered by Vermont to VT 74. In the early 1970s, NY 73 was truncated to its current eastern terminus in Underwood, eliminating a lengthy overlap with US 9, while its former routing from Schroon to Lake Champlain was renumbered to NY 74, matching the other Vermont route number that ends in Larrabees Point.cite map |title=New York Thruway |publisher=New York State Thruway Authority |cartography=Rand McNally and Company |year=1971] cite map |title=New York and New Jersey Tourgide Map |publisher=Gulf |cartography=Rand McNally and Company |year=1974] The already existing Route 74 designation in Chautaqua County (in the Buffalo area) was renumbered to New York State Route 474 as a result.cite map|url=http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/gisdata/quads/drg24/usgspreview/index.cfm?code=o42079a6|title=Clymer, NY quadrangle|publisher=United States Geological Survey|cartography=United States Geological Survey|year=1954|accessdate=2008-08-24] cite map|url=http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/gisdata/quads/drg24/dotpreview/index.cfm?code=x1|title=Clymer, NY quadrangle|publisher=New York State Department of Transportation|cartography=New York State Department of Transportation|year=1978|accessdate=2008-08-24] The opening of the Adirondack Northway in 1967 also resulted in a slight shift of the western terminus of NY 74 from US 9 to the I-87.cite news |url=http://www.adirondacklife.com/index.php?Itemid=173&id=96&option=com_content&task=view|title=Presenting the winner of Adirondack Life's profile–writing contest 2007|author=Ann Breen Metcalfe|publisher=Adirondack Life|date=2008}|accessdate=2008-10-05] By 1981, NY 74 was rerouted to follow its current alignment around the northeastern edge of Ticonderoga, on a concurrency with NY 22. [cite map |title=I Love New York Tourism Map |publisher=State of New York |cartography=Rand McNally and Company |year=1981|accessdate=2008-08-24] The highway has remained the same since that date.cite map|url=http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/gisdata/quads/drg24/dotpreview/index.cfm?code=j51|title=Ticonderoga, NY quadrangle|publisher=New York State Department of Transportation|cartography=New York State Department of Transportation|year=1992|accessdate=2008-08-24]

Ferry history

The ferry has operated on an informal basis since 1759 and gained official status in 1799. The earliest ferries at the location were probably rowboats or canoes. According to the ferry website, "a double-ended sailing scow was in service by 1800. This vessel was about convert|30|ft|m long, with a mainsail that would swing completely around the mast to provide a simple means of reversing course."cite web|url=http://www.ticonderogany.com/members/fortticonderogaferry.html|title=Fort Ticonderoga Ferry|author=Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce|year=2008|accessdate=2008-08-27|publisher=Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce] Ferry size continued to increase with traffic until the system upgraded to a cable guidance system in 1946. John S. Larrabee of Vermont established the first regular ferry at the location in the late eighteenth century.cite book|url=http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/lis/lib/guides_and_tutorials/subject_guides/collection_guide-vermont/internet_resources/history_addison_county/chap32_hac.htm|title= History of Addison county, Vermont |pages=chapter 32|author=H.P. Smith|publisher= D. Mason & Co., Publishers |date=1886|accessdate=2008-08-27] The Vermont State Legislature approved a franchise for a ferry from Larrabees Point to Ticonderoga in 1907, to the Shoreham and Ticonderoga Ferry Company.cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ZaxMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA207&dq=Larabees+Point+Ferry&lr=&ei=rW20SNCQA4nKjgGbqIQa#PPA208,M1|title=Journal of the House of the State of Vermont|pages=207|author=Mr. Alexander, from the committee on elections|publisher=Vermont General Assembly|date=1907|accessdate=2008-08-26] The New York State Legislature granted the ferry a franchise in 1918.cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=KIM4AAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA288&dq=Larrabees+Point+Ferry&lr=&ei=5Z-0SK-iF4m6zATmpvX1Dg|title= Laws of the State of New York |pages=288|author=New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission|publisher=State of New York|date=1918|accessdate=2008-08-27]

Major intersections

NYint
county=Essex
cspan=5
mile=0.00
road=
location=Schroon
lspan=2
notes=Exit 28 (I-87)NYint
mile=0.17
road=NYint
type=mplex
mile=17.46
road=jct|state=NY|NY|9N|NY|22|dir2=north
location=Ticonderoga
area=hamlet
lspan=2
notes=Western terminus of NY 22/74 overlapNYint
type=mplex
mile=19.06
road= south
notes=Eastern terminus of overlapNYint
mile=20.44
road= VT 74
location=Ticonderoga
notes=Seasonal ferry to Vermont
-!colspan=5|State border — NY 74 becomes VT 74
-Jctint
county=Addison
cspan=5
mile=0.00
road= NY 74
state=VT
location=Larabees Point
lspan=2
notes=Seasonal ferry to New YorkJctint
mile=0.49
road=
notes=Western terminus of VT 73Jctint
type=concur
mile=5.24
road=
state=VT
location=Shoreham
lspan=2
notes=Begin/end overlap with VT 22AJctint
type=concur
mile=5.67
road= VT 22A
state=VT
notes=Begin/end overlap with VT 22AJctint
mile=13.26
road=
state=VT
location=Cornwall
lspan=1
notes=

References

External links

* [http://www.gribblenation.net/nyends/74.html New York State Route 74 @ State-Ends.com]
* [http://www.gribblenation.net/nyroutes/jct/074.htm Gribblenation.net's New York Routes - Route 74]
* [http://www.state-ends.com/vermont/0740/ Photographs of VT 74 termini (state-ends.com)]