The Public Thoroughfares

Canaan,

Columbia County,

New York

By Capt. Franklin Ellis³⁴⁷

1878

     The Public thoroughfares of the town demand a passing notice.  Attention was early paid to the improvement of the common highways by the appointment, in 1776, of the following pathmasters:  Ebenezer Benjamin, Aaron Buck, Aaron Calluck, Israel Osborne, Grixson Frisbie, Josiah Warner, Ebenezer Cady, Lodiah Moore, Dudley Adams, Daniel Thurston, Asa Preston, Gideon Skinner, Daniel Rowley, Nehemiah Fitch, Asa Douglas, Solomon Denon, Abraham Van Derpool, Ezra Allen, Elijah Hudson, John Stranahan, Jacob Vosburgh, Asa Doty, Jacob Brooker, Simon Lathrop, Isaac Soul, Elijah Skinner, Samuel Davis, Asahel Salmon, Solomon Barker, Joseph Mudge, Elisha Gilbert, Zebulon Andrews, Jacob Farrington, Thomas Bentley, Peter Goose, Solomon Finch, John Smith, Joshua Green, Isaac Buttolph, Titus Tolas, Jonathan Culver, Thomas Bebee.

     The present town is divided into forty-five road districts.  The highways are but indifferently good.  The Albany and Stockbridge turnpike, passing through the town in a nearly east and west course, was an important avenue of travel until the Hudson and Berkshire railroad was built, running almost parallel with its line.  This in turn was abandoned soon after the construction of the Boston and Albany railroad, north of the former route.  This road has stations at Canaan Four Corners, and at Edwards, a short distance below Flat Brook.  A more extended account of these railroads will be found in the general history of the county.