Delta, New York facts for kids

Delta was a small village located near Rome in Oneida County, New York. It was founded in the 1800s. However, this village no longer exists. In the early 1900s, Delta was covered by water to create the Delta Reservoir.

The village of Delta was once part of the town of Western. It was nestled in the Delta River Valley. This valley was connected to the Mohawk River and the Black River Canal. For many years, Delta was a quiet farming community. Later, shops and businesses were built on the western side of the village.

The Story of Delta Village

How Delta Began

In the 1800s, a man named Israel Stark started planning new villages, including Delta. Another important person was Prosper E. Rudd. He moved to Delta from Connecticut. Prosper Rudd helped modernize the village by setting up an early grist mill. A grist mill grinds grain into flour.

David Smith Sr. built the first sawmill in Delta. A sawmill cuts logs into lumber. This was a very important step for the village. The lumber helped build many homes and stores. This brought more wealth and growth to Delta. Soon, many families and friends moved to the village. This made the population grow. In 1811, other villages formed nearby. This caused some people to move to these new towns.

Why Delta Disappeared

In 1903, New York State made an important decision. They agreed to make the Erie Canal much bigger and better. The Erie Canal is a famous waterway. To make the canal bigger, it needed a lot more water. This meant new reservoirs had to be built. A reservoir is like a large, artificial lake. It stores water for people to use.

One of these new reservoirs was planned near Delta. This new reservoir would cover the entire village with water. The construction project took about four years. The cost of building the reservoir was nearly one million dollars.

Part of the project involved moving many things. Workers had to remove 295 buildings from the village. This included 70 homes. They also had to move two cemeteries and other private burial spots. All the graves were carefully moved and reburied in new locations. By the time the reservoir was finished, the village of Delta was completely submerged.

Images for kids

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  Delta Business District (from Gillette's Map of Oneida County NY, 1858)

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  Map showing Delta to Westernville (from Gillette's Map of Oneida County NY, 1858)