Corduroy-Road Archaeology in Cultural and Historical Context: A Case Study from the New York Frontier

Abstract

A construction crew uncovered a late 18th-century corduroy road during a habitat-improvement project for the New York Power Authority. The dendrochronological age and road alignment imply surveyors built the road in the rush to settle New York’s frontier. A comparison with other corduroy roads during the Section 106 compliance process uncovered very few well-documented examples. Historical accounts suggest that corduroy roads were a common landscape feature, but one that held sometimes contradictory meanings depending on the context. Subsequent research into corduroy-road archaeology identified patterns and shortcomings in the study of this technology, especially concerning the treatment of these sites in a cultural resource management (CRM) context. Some consideration of corduroy-road potential can be accomplished at the earliest stages of archaeological survey by identifying favorable environmental and historical factors. The research potential is considerable and contributes to a better model of past environments and cultural landscapes in a frontier setting.