Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) recently received a grant from the Society for Industrial Archaeology to document the remains of one of three pump-houses that fed brine into the salt sheds and blocks that once dominated the shores on Onondaga Lake. During excavations on the corner of Spencer and Maltbie Streets, Montreal Construction Company unearthed a few sections of stone walls thought to have been lost to history. These are the only significant remains of Syracuse’s once thriving salt industry, in their original location.
OHA believes a proper documentation of the site is of the utmost importance to our mission to preserve the history of Onondaga County and to increase awareness of the significance role the salt industry played in the growth of the region.
Dr. Bruce Harvey is well known for his impeccable photographic work documenting historic sites and OHA believes his photographs will provide for an excellent, accessible vehicle for documentation, preservation, and dissemination to the broader public.
Dr. Harvey will prepare a final documentation package for permanent curation at the Onondaga Historical Association. In addition, the photographer will scan each negative using an Imacon scanner, and provide a high-resolution file for each negative that is included in the documentation package. These digital files will supplement the archival hard-copy documentation package, and can be used to promote and interpret the foundation remains to the broader public.
You can learn more about the pump house here, via Syracuse.com.