Dannemora

By Rod Bigelow and Walter "Pete" Light

The discovery of iron ore near Chateaugay Lake in 1831 started the settlement later known as the town of Dannemora. In 1832, several local businessmen entered into partnership to mine the ore. St. John B.L. Skinner, a lawyer in Plattsburgh, owned most of the land and named it Dannemora. Dannemora's history is intertwined with iron ore and the development of the prison. The town is located in Clinton County in the foothills of Dannemora Mountain and is within the Blue Line, which marks the border of Adirondack Park. The prison is built on the side of the mountain, and a building to its right, which was the State Hospital for Insane Convicts, is now called the Annex. Surrounding Dannemora are Lyon Mountain, Chazy Lake, and Upper Chateaugay Lake.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Apr 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781439650752

Rod Bigelow

Rod Bigelow, as historian for the Town of Dannemora, has managed a number of websites that cover the history of the area. His father and grandfather were guards of the prison and the hospital. Walter "Pete" Light is historian for the Village of Dannemora and runs a museum in the village office building. He also developed and maintained the Clinton Prison Museum with Terrance Gilroy, the previous historian. Pete was a correctional officer in the prison for many years.

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INTRODUCTION

DANNEMORA was formed from Beekmantown, Dec 14, 1854. It is the central town upon the w. border of the co. Its surface is mostly a wild, mountainous upland, covered with a sandy soil and light growth of forest trees. Chazy Lake, near the center, 3 1/2 miles long by 1 1/2 wide, discharges its waters E. into Chazy River. Upper Chateaugay Lake, on the w. border, 5 mi. long by 1 1/2 broad, discharges its waters w. into Chateauguay River. The few settlements in town are confined to the S.E. corner. Dannemora is a small village grown up around the Clinton Prison. The prison was located here in 1845, for the purpose of employing convicts in the mining and manufacture of iron, so that their labor would not come so directly in competition with the other mechanical trades. The first permanent settler was Thomas Hooker, who came to reside in 1838. The census reports one religious society (Presbyterian) in town.

—French’s Gazetteer of the State of New York, 1860

The paragraph above from French’s Gazetteer is a good start on the beginnings of Dannemora. Before the arrival of the Hookers, there was only the occasional hunter or those in search of iron ore. Iron ore was discovered around Chateaugay Lake around 1831, and in 1832 a partnership of 10 area businessman was formed to mine the ore. In 1842, two of the partners, Charles Averill and F.L.C. Sailly, bought out the other eight. For a time, the Averill Ore Bed became a successful mine and provided employment for the surrounding area, including what is now the town of Dannemora.

Most of the land was owned by St. John B.L. Skinner, a lawyer in Plattsburgh who gave the name Dannemora to the western area that was separated from Beekmantown. The name came from a famous Swedish iron ore field that lies northwest of Stockholm, Sweden. The ore fields there were well known since the mid-15th century in Europe, because of the high grade of iron ore. The name Dannemora is a combination of two words: Danne derives from the name given to the early settlers in Sweden who were from Denmark—hence the name Dannes, or Danes, as they are called today. Mora describes the fenny spruce tree found in Sweden.

The history of the village of Dannemora is intertwined with the development of Clinton prison. In 1816, New York followed the lead of other states and passed a law providing for two prisons. Auburn Prison and Sing Sing (Mount Pleasant) were built in the following decade. Both prisons were meant to be self-supporting, Auburn with its workshops and Sing Sing with its marble quarries.

The need for a third prison in New York State became evident by the late 1830s. This time, the state legislature specified that mining and smelting of metal ore by convict labor would be permitted. This would help satisfy the complex political demands and limit the effect on private enterprise. The year was 1842, and Ransom Cook of Saratoga was appointed commissioner to examine mineral resources in the state and obtain proposals for the purchase of iron mines. He was also to study the possibility of using inmate labor in the mining of iron ore and smelting.

In 1843, Ransom Cook reported, These are the best located mines of any I have visited. On May 13, 1844, the legislature approved a new state prison, located north of Albany and named after the county where it would be located. Thus, the name Clinton Prison was created. It was also designated to use the prison convicts in mining and manufacturing of iron.

Silas Cook was confirmed in 1845 as the agent at the state’s new prison. Many local men were hired for the clearing of the land in February in the midst of five feet of snow. They had to clear the virgin timber and erect a stockade. Work on the temporary buildings for the officers, guards, workmen, and prisoners was started by April