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Ezra's Tunnel

Tompkins County, New York

Photos 

Photo taken by Sherman Cahal in November 2016

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View this photo at bridgestunnels.com

BH Photo #378339

Map 

Description 

The earliest of industries in Ithaca, New York was centered around Fall Creek due to the powerful and consistent flow of Ithaca Falls.

The Olympic Falls Flouring Mill which originally operated via an overshot waterwheel. was fed by a wooden flume overhanging Ithaca Falls. The plant was purchased by Jeremiah S. Beebe in 1827 who rebuilt it. Beebe hired Ezra Cornell to manage it.

In 1828, Cornell began construction of a 200-foot long, 12-foot high, 13-foot wide tunnel along Fall Creek to bypass Ithaca Falls and channel water through a raceway for the mill. The tunnel, and a low-rise dam at the top of Ithaca Falls, was completed in 1832 at which point the wooden flume was dismantled.

Facts 

Overview
Abandoned tunnel on Waterway
Location
Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York
Status
Derelict/abandoned
History
Built 1828-32 by Ezra Cornell for the Olympic Falls Flouring Mill.
Builder
- Ezra Cornell
Design
Tunnel
Dimensions
Total length: 200.0 ft.
Deck width: 13.0 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 12.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+42.45255, -76.49230   (decimal degrees)
42°27'09" N, 76°29'32" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
18/377289/4701102 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Ithaca East
Inventory number
BH 75550 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (9,030)
Abandoned (3,957)
Built 1832 (61)
Built during 1830s (301)
Ezra Cornell (1)
Ithaca, New York (22)
New York (4,954)
Tompkins County, New York (69)
Total length 175-250 feet (4,591)
Tunnel (1,362)

Update Log 

  • February 10, 2017: Updated by Sherman Cahal: Text update.

Sources 

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