Seneca Lake Waterways Association records, 1950-1994

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: SC-33

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The materials in this collection are from two related organizations: the Seneca Lake Waterways Associations (SLWA) and the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA). Documents include correspondence, newspaper articles, newsletters, advertisements for equipmenent, meeting agendas and minutes, budgets, membership and leadership name lists, stationary, handwritten notes, organization charters and even a seal for legal documents. Most of the collection is of the Seneca Lake Waterways Association which dates from around 1950-1979. Topics discussed range from collecting money to whistle blowing poor water management that resulted in floods. Materials from the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association are at the end of the collection and date from around 1989-1994. The organization is still on-going, but the papers are all connected to Professor Don Woodrow who helped establish the SLPWA. These materials are similar to the SLWA records and include correspondence, meeting notes, budget memoranda, and news articles.

Dates

Creation: 1950-1994

Historical Note

The Seneca Lake Waterways Association (SLWA) was a citizen group that became fairly active in the 1960s and 70s about environmental issues facing the lake. The most prominent of these issues were flooding, excessive weed growth, and pollution. The SLWA also corresponded and worked with similar associations for the other Finger Lakes. The group also played a role in passing certain laws at the state level to help protect Seneca Lake and its connected waterways.

The Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA) is a different group that began around 1989-1991 and is still currently active. The SLPWA website states "SLPWA leads efforts to maintain and enhance the quality of Seneca Lake as a source for drinking water and recreation, by educating and informing the public about issues." Most of the papers in this collection are from Don Woodrow, a professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges who seems to have played a role creating and establishing the society in the late 1980s.

SLPWA website: https://senecalake.org/about-us/

Extent

6 Linear Feet (6 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Location

Boxes 1, 2, 4, 5: Archives Storage, Range 22A, Section 4

Boxes 3, 6: Archives Storage, Range 22B, Section 4

Provenance

There are no records to indicate who donated these materials, however they appear to have been the files of Professor Don Woodrow and were possibly donated by him sometime around 1995.