Copy from Steroview

"Unknown Title"

Photographed by Buell, Warsaw, N.Y.

circa 1865

This image is a photographic copy of what appears to be a stereoview. It is taken from the west side of the Portage gorge, looking east toward what is now the Parade Grounds.

The cleared area was the site of Camp Williams (sometimes known as Camp Portage) at which the 130th and 136th NY Regiments trained in 1862. The Camp was closed that same year and the barrack sold for their lumber.

The Genesee Valley Canal is visible on the ledge below the Parade Grounds. The waterfalls is caused by either a waste weir or a stream.

If anyone has information regarding the original stereoview, or can provide a better copy, we would greatly appreciate it!

Park expert Ted Bartlett has sent us the following additional discussion of this image:

"I think the view is actually from Inspiration Point by where the creeek dumps into the river. The view is looking left along the big cut and the road is the distance is the present park road by the Parade Grounds picnic area. The water fall is a waste weir that is still in place if you look from Inspiration Point. To the left of the photo is where the canal begins to go away from the river bank and leads to Oakland. The entrance to the tunnel would be just to the right of center. Your photo #69 would be around the deep cut to the right in this photo."

Another view of this general location is image 169.

Thanks to Ted Bartlett for the information!

Also see The Story of Camp Portage.