The Grasse River is a 115 mile tributary of the St. Lawrence, and is located entirely in St. Lawrence County. The South Branch begins near Long Tom Mountain in the Town of Colton, and the river runs through Russell, Canton and Madrid on its way to meet the St. Lawrence River downstream of Massena. The historic spelling of the river’s name includes an “e,” while contemporary spellings favor Grass River. Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth century the river was a vital economic link for both logging and agriculture. Approximately 85 miles of the river can be navigated by canoe.
Collection Overview
The document is an appraisal of properties using hydropower on the Grasse River, dated July 19th, 1871. Each entry in the appraisal gives the name of the owner of the property, the nature of the business, the specifics of the hydropower mechanisms, size of and boundaries of the property, and an assessment of the property’s worth. Properties are sequenced moving south to north along the Grasse River: Clifton, Montery, Town of Clare, Russell Village, Town of Russell, Town of Canton, Canton Village, Morely, Bucks Bridge, Madrid Village, Town of Madrid, Town of Louisville, Chase Mills, Town of Louisville, Millersville, and Massena. Signatures of the assessors are illegible, though one appears to be John Parker.