This photograph is captioned "V.N. State Road 1/13/29." It is from an album of Verdo Newman, and the context suggests that it is State Route 3, near Lower Saranac Lake. Courtesy of Lynn Newman. 
Removal of the old "State Bridge" on Route 3. Adirondack Daily Enterprise, August 6, 1993 New York State Route 3 (NY 3) is a 246-mile highway in New York State that connects the central New York community of Stirling, on southeastern Lake Erie, to the city of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain. Locally, it runs from Tupper Lake to Saranac Lake via Corey's, and thence to Plattsburgh via Bloomingdale and Vermontville.
[This sounds like an early proposal for what would become New York Route 3. The first part sounds like New York Route 56 to Pierrepont, New York.]
Essex County Republican, December 25, 1844
New Road.
We to day publish a notice of petition to the Legislature for the construction of a road from some point on the Ausable through the great wilderness to the St. Lawrence turnpike in Pierpoint [sic]. The importance of this road as connected with the contemplated Plank or Railroad to the slack waters of the Saranac must be obvious to all. In order to give our readers some correct idea of the route of the proposed road, perhaps it may not be amiss to quote from a letter of Mr. Russell, member of Assembly from St. Lawrence County:
"Take the map and draw a straight line south east from our St. Lawrence Turnpike in Pierpoint, near the west line of the town (10 miles from Canton,) to the Racket River, 6 or 8 miles below Tupper's Lake, then due east past the North end of the upper Saranac Lake to the Saranac River near Purmit's Rapids--from thence on the most feasible route to the Ausable River, and you will have our proposed route. From our river to the Racket River I have personally explored the route. It is highly feasible. Two thirds of the land is fair settleable land. Gentlemen who have been through, from Racket River to the settlement in Harrietstown inform me that it is good to that point. From there to the Ausable river you know more about it than we do. Our information leads us to believe that there are no serious obstacles in that portion. Since the New State's Prison is to be located lower down on the Saranac, it is highly desirable to all interested in the works and lands on the Ausable and the upper Saranac country, that this road should be made. I have no doubt that within 10 years a good MacAdamized road or a Rail Road will be built from the Lake to the Forks of the Ausable. A good road from the Forks direct to this place and Ogdensburg[h] (as our proposed road would be) would add vastly to the convenience of your section as well as ours. Now is a favorable time for us to press it."
It will be seen that this route passes through the heart of what is now a vast wilderness, accessable only to hunters and pioneers, but which, from descriptions we have heard of it, appears to be a handsome and generally level country, abounding in good timber, water power, fertile lands, and probably minerals, interspersed with beautiful fresh water lakes which render the appearance of the country in no small degree romantic. We opine that when this country is once laid open it will be the field of richer s[pec]ulations than can [be] found in the Western wilds.
Elizabethtown Post, April 5, 1900
The town Board of Harriettstown has made a contract with the Canton Bridge Company for the construction of four new iron bridges to be built within the town during the coming summer at a total expenditure of $17,500. The money is to be raised by the sale of twenty year bonds, payable in equal annual payments, with interest. The longest and most important bridge is to be constructed across the Saranac River near the outlet of Lower Saranac Lake, This is to be a one span bridge 180 feet long and is to cost $13,500, This bridge will connect the hotels and camps of the Upper Saranac with Saranac Lake village, whereas heretofore traffic between those places has been carried on by the use of boats, as the bridge was considered unsafe. It is anticipated that this drive will be very popular among pleasure seekers as well as for business purposes.
Lake Placid News, March 4, 1927
Will Build New Road North from Bloomingdale
According to word received by Lewis G. Graeves, president of the Saranac Lake chamber of commerce, construction of the 12 miles of concrete highway between Bloomingdale and Merrillsville will be carried out this year. This road is known as the "short route" between Saranac Lake and Plattsburg and has long been fairly popular with motorists.
It is planned to construct an 18-foot highway that with the links already built will afford traveller a state highway over the entire route which traverses some of the wildest and most interesting scenery in the Adirondacks.
See also: Saranac Lake-Tupper Lake Highway
