New York State Route 97 (NY 97) is a north–south scenic route in southern

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

in the United States. It runs from U.S. Route 6 (US 6) and

US 209 U.S. Route 209 (US 209) is a long U.S. Highway in the states of Pennsylvania and New York. Although the route is a spur of US 9, US 209 never intersects US 9, coming within five miles of the route and making the short c ...

in Port Jervis to NY 17 (Future Interstate 86) in Hancock. Its most famous feature is the Hawk's Nest, a tightly winding section of the road along the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...

, located a few miles north of Port Jervis. NY 97 intersects

NY 52 New York State Route 52 (NY 52) is a state highway in the southeastern part of the state. It generally runs from west to east through five counties, beginning at the Pennsylvania state line in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg, cros ...

in Narrowsburg and indirectly connects to three

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

state highways due to its proximity to the state line. The

New York State Legislature The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York: The New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Constitution of New York does not designate an official ...

created Route 3-a, an unsigned

legislative route In the United States, a legislative route (LR) or legislative highway is a highway defined by laws passed in a state legislature. The numbering of such highways may or may not correspond to the numbers familiar to the public as part of the state, ...

extending from Port Jervis to Hancock along the Delaware River, in 1911. Initially, it was a route in name only as the portion north of Port Jervis had yet to be built. Several parts of the route were constructed during the 1920s, and by the time the NY 97 designation was created as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, only two sections were still unconstructed. The entirety of the highway officially opened on August 30, 1939, capping a construction project that cost $4 million (equivalent to $ in ) to complete. NY 97 began in the city of Port Jervis and ended in

Callicoon Callicoon is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 3,057 at the 2010 census. The town is in the northwestern part of the county. History The town was formed in 1842 from the Town of Liberty. The original spell ...

when it was assigned in 1930. At that time, the remainder of modern NY 97 was part of NY 17B. During May 1939, the state proposed a new designation of New York State Route 17L (NY 17L) for the section between Hancock and Bradley's Corners (south of Middletown). After opposition by a local committee, NY 97 was extended north to Hancock in June 1939, overlapping NY 17B. The latter route was truncated to Callicoon in the 1960s. It is also shared with

New York State Bicycle Route 17 Development of New York State Bicycle Route System In the early 1990's the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) created the state's first full-time bicycle and pedestrian program. Utilizing funding provided by the federal Inter ...

, except between NY 17 and NY 268.

Route description

Port Jervis to Pond Eddy

NY 97 begins at an intersection with US 6 and

(Pike Street / East Main Street) in the city of Port Jervis. NY 97 is immediately concurrent with

NY 42 New York State Route 42 (NY 42) is a north–south, discontinuous state highway in the Catskill Mountains region of New York in the United States. The southernmost of the highway's two segments begins at an intersection with U.S. Rout ...

as the route proceeds west on West Main Street, a two-lane commercial street. NY 42 and NY 97 soon split from West Main Street for Park Avenue in the Germantown section of Port Jervis, north of the Port Jervis

Metro-North Railroad Metro-North Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State public benefit corporations, public authority of the U.S. state of New Yor ...

station. NY 42 and NY 97 soon leave Port Jervis for the town of Deerpark, paralleling the Norfolk Southern Southern Tier Line (ex-

Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake Erie ...

Delaware Division) past and soon into the hamlet of Sparrowbush. In Sparrowbush, NY 42 and NY 97 proceed west, passing north of the Eddy Farm Resort Golf Course before bending northwest through the hamlet. After the intersection with Darraugh Lane, NY 42 forks off on a new right-of-way to the northeast, while NY 97 continues northwest on the current alignment. The route quickly bends north, intersecting with Hook Road, which connects to the golf course and nearby fishing area. NY 97 continues north, paralleling NY 42 and the

into the Hawk's Nest section of Deerpark. In Hawk's Nest, NY 97 runs alongside the side of several cliffs overlooking the Delaware. As the river bends to the west, NY 97 bends westward out of Hawk's Nest, bending southwest into Sullivan County. Upon entering Sullivan County, NY 97 enters the hamlet of Sparrowbush, NY, where it crosses over the

Mongaup River The Mongaup River is a stream in the U.S. state of New York. It is a tributary to the Delaware River. Etymology The name 'Mongaup' is derived from an Indian language; probably meaning "dancing feather", or "huckeberry valley". Variant spellings in ...

. Now in the town of

Lumberland Lumberland is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 2,468 at the 2010 census. The Town of Lumberland is a rural community in the southwestern part of the county. History The town was formed in 1798 from the To ...

, NY 97 soon bends to the west, running alongside the Delaware River, passing through the hamlet of Knight's Eddy before bending northwest. After another large bend to the southwest once again, NY 97 enters the hamlet of Pond Eddy. In Pond Eddy, NY 97 intersects with County Route 41 (CR 41), which proceeds north as High Road while crosses the nearby

Pond Eddy Bridge The Pond Eddy Bridge is a petit truss bridge spanning the Delaware River between the hamlet of Pond Eddy in Lumberland, New York and the settlement informally called Pond Eddy in Shohola Township, Pennsylvania. It is accessible from NY 97 in ...

into Shohola Township,

and the unsigned quadrant State Route 1011 on the opposite shore. NY 97 remains a two-lane residential road through Pond Eddy before leaving the hamlet further to the southwest.

Barryville to Narrowsburg

Bending northwest once again, NY 97 continues alongside the river, entering a small commercial stretch through the town of Lumberland, before turning southwest once again. Just before an intersection with Tuthill Road, NY 97 bends northwest and away from the river before bending northeastward to the riverside once again. During another curve to the northwest, NY 97 enters the hamlet of Handsome Eddy, which consists of a few farms. After crossing into the town of

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

, it enters the hamlet of Barryville. In Barryville, NY 97 turns northwest and becomes a commercial street, intersecting with NY 55 and CR 11 in the center. Present as this junction is the Barryville–Shohola Bridge, which crosses the Delaware River and meets PA 434. After NY 55, NY 97 continues west through Barryville, intersecting with the southern terminus of CR 21 (Yulan–Barryville Road), CR 21A and the western terminus of CR 11A (River Road). After leaving Barryville, NY 97 parallels CR 21 for a short distance, continuing west through the town of Highland alongside the Delaware River. The route bends southwestward once again, crossing past several homes as it winds through Highland. The route makes a short western stretch at an intersection with Old Minisink Ford Road before turning eastward into the hamlet of Minisink Ford. In Minisink Ford, NY 97 intersects with CR 168 (Minisink Battleground Road), which connects to Minisink Battleground County Park. NY 97 and CR 168 are concurrent for an extremely short distance, before CR 168 crosses the Delaware River on

Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct, also known as the Roebling Bridge, is the oldest existing wire suspension bridge in the United States. It runs over the Delaware River, from Minisink Ford, New York, to Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1849 as ...

into the borough of

Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania Lackawaxen is an unincorporated community in Lackawaxen Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The community is located at the confluence of the Delaware and Lackawaxen Rivers, the former of which forms the state line with New York. ...

. After Minisink Ford, NY 97 bends northward along the river as a two-lane dense woods road through the town of Highland. After an intersection with Poblete Drive, NY 97 continues northward while the Delaware River bends west, and NY 97 enters the town of Tusten. Through Tusten, NY 97 makes several bends to the north, before maintaining a long northwest stretch after Grassy Swamp Road. Passing west of Rock Lake, NY 97 enters the hamlet of Tusten, where it bends northward again and soon intersecting with the western terminus of CR 23 (Lumberland–Mount Hope Road). A short distance later, CR 25 (Eckes Road) begins at an intersection with NY 97. After another bend to the southwest, NY 97 intersects with

and CR 111.

Tusten to Hankins

NY 52 and NY 97 become concurrent in the town of Tusten, soon entering the hamlet of Narrowsburg. Passing south of Feagles Lake, the two routes soon fork off, with NY 52 proceeding west on CR 24 (Bridge Street) to the Narrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge. NY 97 continues northwest, running along the eastern edge of Narrowsburg, passing Glenn Cove Cemetery, where it intersects with Kirk Road. At this junction, NY 97 returns the riverside, bending northeast and southeast alongside. Now paralleling the Southern Tier Line once again, the route continues through the town of Tusten, running north as a two-lane residential street. NY 97 soon bends northwest to the railroad then north again, entering the town of

Cochecton Cochecton () is a town located in west-central Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 1,372 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from the lenape word "cushetunk" meaning "place of red stone hills". The Town of Cochecton ...

In Cochecton, NY 97 intersects with Skinners Falls Road, which connects to the hamlet of Skinners Falls and the Skinners Falls – Milanville Bridge. NY 97 meanwhile continues north away from the river, before rejoining a short distance north. After a short stretch to the northeast, CR 116 intersects. Paralleling the railroad tracks, NY 97 soon enters the hamlet of Cochecton, bending northeast out of the hamlet. At the end of the bend, CR 114 (Lake Huntington Road) intersects with NY 97, connecting the route to the

Cochecton–Damascus Bridge The Cochecton–Damascus Bridge, sometimes called the Cochecton Dam Road Bridge, crosses the Delaware River in the United States between the unincorporated hamlet of Cochecton, in Sullivan County, New York, and Damascus Township, in Wayne County, ...

and PA 371. NY 97 proceeds east for a short distance, where CR 114 forks towards Lake Huntington. After CR 114, NY 97 continues north alongside the railroad tracks before splitting for a few miles. The railroad tracks soon rejoin in the town of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

. In Delaware, NY 97 and the railroad tracks proceed northward, entering the hamlet of

. In Callicoon, NY 97 crosses over a tributary of the Delaware River and intersects with the western terminus of NY 17B. After a stretch to the northwest, NY 97 runs along the northern edge of Callicoon and intersects with CR 133 (Fremont Street) at the outer edge of the hamlet. After CR 133, NY 97 bends north through Delaware, far from the riverside and railroad line. The three soon meet once again as NY 97 enters the town of Fremont. All three entities bend west and enter the hamlet of Hankins. In Hankins, CR 132 (Hankins Road) and CR 94 (Hankins Road) both terminate at NY 97, which runs as a two-lane commercial street.

Long Eddy to Hancock

After Long Eddy, NY 97 bends northeast through the town of Fremont, intersecting with Kellams Bridge Road. Kellams Bridge Road connects NY 97 to the Little Equinunk Bridge (also known as Kellam's Bridge). NY 97 continues northward, intersecting with the terminus of CR 134 (Basket Brook Road). After another dart to the west, NY 97 enters the hamlet of Long Eddy. In Long Eddy, NY 97 is the main road, passing multiple residences on both sides of the road. At an intersection with Kinney Road, NY 97 turns northward and crosses the county line into Delaware County. Upon crossing the county line, NY 97 is now in the town of Hancock. Through Hancock, NY 97 becomes a two-lane woods road, winding north and soon northeast into the hamlet of Pea Brook. NY 97 at NY 17

Pea Brook consists of a few homes and upon leaving, NY 97 returns to the two-lane woods road it was beforehand. Just before a junction with Klondike Road and Swope Road, NY 97 bends westward once again, entering the hamlet of French Woods. In French Woods, NY 97 passes south of French Woods Golf and Country Club and enters the hamlet of Peas Eddy. In Peas Eddy, NY 97 bends southwest and south alongside Somerset Lake. After Somerset Lake, the route bends northwest and returns to the railroad tracks and the Delaware River in the hamlet of Stockport. At the junction with Stockport Road, NY 97 gains the moniker and becomes a two-lane residential street. A short distance later, NY 97 enters the village of Hancock. In Hancock, NY 97 becomes a two-lane commercial street, paralleling the railroad tracks into the downtown section after crossing the East Branch of the Delaware River. In downtown Hancock, NY 97 intersects with the southern terminus of NY 268 (East Front Street). NY 97 takes a two block turn to the west before intersecting with Reed Street, where it heads one block north. NY 97 then turns west onto West Main Street, proceeding as a two-lane residential street. NY 97 intersects with Pennsylvania Avenue, which connects NY 97 to the

and a bridge crossing to PA 191. After leaving the village, NY 97 becomes a two-lane commercial street, intersecting with Sands Creek Road. There, NY 97 turns northward and enters exit 87 of

New York State Route 17 New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Souther ...

(Future I-86) (the Quickway). The northern ramps of the interchange serve as the northern terminus of NY 97 while Sands Creek Road continues north as CR 67 to

NY 10 New York State Route 10 (NY 10) is a north–south state highway in the Central New York and North Country regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from the Quickway ( NY 17) (Future Interstate 86) in Deposit ...

at the

Cannonsville Reservoir The Cannonsville Reservoir is a reservoir in the New York City water supply system in Delaware County, New York. It was formed by construction of the Cannonsville Dam on its west end, which impounded over half of the West Branch of the Delaware ...

History

The

corridor had been linked by a road along the cliffs overlooking the river since at least 1851. Part of it was constructed in the early 1800s as part of the Newburgh and Chenango Turnpike, chartered in 1805 to create a road from the

Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike The Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike was a turnpike road in southern New York in the United States. It ran from Newburgh on the Hudson River west to Cochecton on the Delaware River, where travelers could continue west through Pennsylvania on the C ...

up the Delaware River to Hancock, thence to Deposit, Bainbridge, and

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. When the plans for a new highway through the corridor of NY 97 were initially drawn up, it was to bypass what became the Hawk's Nest in favor of a shoreline route. However, the

refused to sell the necessary

right-of-way Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another. A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...

, forcing the state to construct the improved road along the cliffside instead. In 1911, the

created Route 3-a, an unsigned

extending from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to Route 4 (later NY 17) in Hancock along the

. Very little of this highway actually existed in reality; by 1920, only of the long route had been built. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the segment of former Route 3-a from Port Jervis to

was designated as NY 97, even though two sections of the route—between

at Sparrow Bush and Mongaup and from Pond Eddy to near the

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

of Tusten—were still incomplete. The remainder of old Route 3-a north of Callicoon, which was fully constructed by 1930, became part of NY 17B. In 1932, then-Governor

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

signed legislation designating NY 97 as the "Upper Delaware Scenic Byway". In May 1939, rest of future-NY 97 was proposed by the New York State Highway Department to become NY 17L from Hancock to Bradley's Corners. The Orange County Chamber of Commerce wanted one designation for the entire stretch of highway from Hancock to Port Jervis, which shared NY 97. NY 17B, NY 84 and US 6. NY 17L was chosen to provide an alternate to NY 17 for motorists who wanted to avoid the busy highway. The Route Ninety-Seven Council had been created several months prior to advocate for designating the entire road as NY 97. They opposed the decision for NY 17L, preferring to keep NY 97 to help travelers. Walter Schwartz, the chairman of the highway committee for Sullivan County's Board of Supervisors, announced on May 12 that he would discuss with the state about the NY 17L/NY 97 ordeal. On June 28, the state announced that they were dropping the NY 17L designation and the entire route would be designated as NY 97. On August 30, 1939, the entirety of NY 97 was officially opened to traffic. Several events were held to mark the road's opening, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Port Jervis featuring the mayors of Port Jervis and Hancock and a motorcade procession that traveled the length of the highway. In all, it cost $4 million (equivalent to $ in ) to build NY 97. The portion through the Hawk's Nest cost $2 million (equivalent to $ in ) to construct. Following the road's completion, NY 97 was extended north to Hancock, overlapping NY 17B. The overlap was eliminated in the mid-1960s when NY 17B was truncated to Callicoon. Near Cochecton, a historical marker points out that NY 97 passes the rock claimed by New Jersey colonists as the western end of the colony's northern border during the New York–New Jersey Line War in the 18th century. About a quarter of the route follows the old

Delaware and Hudson Canal The Delaware and Hudson Canal was the first venture of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, which would later build the Delaware and Hudson Railway. Between 1828 and 1899, the canal's barges carried anthracite coal from the mines of northeaster ...

Major intersections

Notes

References

External links

NY 97 Travelogue @ Empire State Roads
* {{DEFAULTSORT:New York State Route 097 097 Delaware River Transportation in Broome County, New York Transportation in Delaware County, New York Transportation in Orange County, New York Transportation in Sullivan County, New York