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| NYS Route 431 |
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| Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway Maintained by NYSDEC |
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| Length: | 7.96 mi[1] (12.81 km) | ||||||||||||
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| Formed: | 1935[2][3] | ||||||||||||
| South end: |  NY 86 in Wilmington |
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| North end: | Peak of Whiteface Mountain | ||||||||||||
| Counties: | Essex | ||||||||||||
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State Route 431 (also known as the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway) is a state highway in Essex County, New York. The highway climbs Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation maintains the highway, which is about 7.96 miles (12.81 km) long.
An entrepreneur, Marcellus Leonard, in nearby Lake Placid originally proposed the highway in the late nineteenth century. Serious plans developed for a highway during the 1920s. The route was constructed in 1929 and opened in 1935 and is a current nominee for the National Register of Historic Places. The highway heads from over 2,000 feet (610 m) in elevation to over 4,500 feet (1,372 m) above sea level. The road increases 450 feet (137 m) in elevation per mile and has a speed limit of 25 miles per hour (40 km/h).
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Route description
The Whiteface Highway, also known as Route 431, begins at an intersection with New York State Route 86 in Wilmington. The highway heads to the north, intersecting with some local roads in Wilmington. Route 431 and the parkway make a turn to the east, but quickly turn northeast as they head towards the tollbooth. The roads intersect with Essex County Route 72 before turning to the east and beginning the scenic drive to the north.[4]
The Route 431 designation ends at a tollbooth (built in 1934); however, the Whiteface Mountain Highway continues toward the summit of the mountain. About 1 mi (1.6 km) into the scenic drive, the highway passes the Union Falls Overlook, a scenic view at 2,700 feet (820 m) high. This overlook also allows viewing of Taylor Pond. At 3,300 feet (1,000 m) high, a large building at the top of the mountain called "The Castle" becomes visible, and Taylor Pond can be seen more clearly below. The scenic drive makes a hairpin turn just before 3,700 feet (1,100 m), and comes to another scenic view, this time, showing parts of Lake Placid and the Olympic Village. The road continues for another 1.3 miles (2.1 km) before terminating at a parking lot near the summit of Whiteface Mountain, where "The Castle" is located.[2]
History
The highway comes together
The ideas for a road up Whiteface Mountain originated in the late 1800s and early 1900s by an entrepreneur, Marcellus Leonard, in Lake Placid.[5] The plans for the highway originated in the 1920s, when the land for the road was given by the owner to the state on the condition that it would be named after America's Great War veterans.[2] However, the governor of New York at the time, Herbert Henry Lehman, vetoed a bill that would put a memorial tower at the top of Whiteface Mountain in 1932. The road was later renamed in the honor of veterans from all wars. Then-Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the dedication for the highway in 1929.[6] Construction on the road began that year.[2] The road was to open in the Summer of 1934, but was delayed a year.[5][7] Under unfortunate circumstances, Marcellus Leonard, the person was was considered the "father" of the highway, passed away at 90 years old on February 23, 1935, a few months before the road opened.[8]
In 1935, the road, designated as NY 431 from NY 86 to the toll booth,[3] was opened by Roosevelt, now President of the United States, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. In total, constructing the road cost $1.2 million. President Roosevelt also requested that an elevator be constructed to help visitors from the parking lot to the summit of Whiteface Mountain.[2]
Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile[1] | Roads intersected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | Wilmington | 0.00 | NY 86 |
NY 431 designation begins here |
| 2.55 |  CR 72 |
Road to summit begins here; NY 431 designation ends here | ||
| 7.96 | Summit of Whiteface Mountain | Road to summit ends here |
See also
- Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway, a highway of the same type in the Adirondacks
References
- ^ a b "Traffic Data Report - NY 427 to NY 908F" (PDF). NYSDOT (2007-07-16). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ a b c d e Lee Manchester. "A 5-mile drive to the top of the world". Adirondack Architectural Heritage. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ a b Sun Oil Company. Road Map & Historical Guide - New York [map]. Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. (1935)
- ^ Google Maps. Overview map of 431/WM Veterans Highway from Route 86 to Route 72 [map]. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ a b "Road Up Mountain Is Nearly Finsihed", New York Times (October 15, 1933), p. E6.
- ^ "Roosevelt Dedicates Whiteface Highway", New York Times (September 12, 1929), p. 14.
- ^ "New Scenic State Road", New York Times (February 23, 1935), p. 11.
- ^ Edward L. Gockeler (July 14, 1935). "M.A. Leonard Dead; Owned Store Chain", New York Times, p. XX10.
External links
