The office of Superintendent of Public Works was created by an 1876 amendment to the New York State Constitution. It abolished the canal commissioners and established that the Department of Public Works execute all laws relating to canal maintenance and navigation except for those functions performed by the

New York State Engineer and Surveyor New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

who continued to prepare maps, plans and estimates for canal construction and improvement. The Canal Board (now consisting of the Superintendent of Public Works, the State Engineer and Surveyor, and the Commissioners of the Canal Fund) continued to handle hiring of employees and other personnel matters. The Barge Canal Law of 1903 (Chapter 147) directed the Canal Board to oversee the enlargement of and improvements to the

Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing ...

, the

Champlain Canal The Champlain Canal is a canal in New York that connects the Hudson River to the south end of Lake Champlain. It was simultaneously constructed with the Erie Canal for use by commercial vessels, fully opening in 1823. Today, it is mostly used b ...

and the Oswego Canal. In 1967, the Department of Public Works was merged with other departments into the new

New York State Department of Transportation The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is the department of the Government of New York (state), New York state government responsible for the development and operation of highways, Rail transport, railroads, mass transit systems ...

List of Superintendents of Public Works

* George B. McClellan (1826–1885) nominated March 16, 1877 by Gov. Robinson; rejected by the State Senate *

Charles S. Fairchild Charles Stebbins Fairchild (April 30, 1842 – November 24, 1924) was an American businessman and politician who served as United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1887 to 1889 and Attorney General of New York from 1876 to 1877. He was a nota ...

nominated January 4, 1878 by Gov. Robinson; rejected by the State Senate on January 16, 1878 *

Daniel Magone Daniel Magone (January 12, 1827 – September 4, 1904) was an American lawyer who was Collector of the Port of New York during the first administration of United States President Grover Cleveland. Early life Magone was born in Oswegatchie, Ne ...

nominated January 18, 1878, by Gov. Robinson; rejected by State Senate January 23, 1878 *

Benjamin S. W. Clark Benjamin S. W. Clark (May 27, 1829 – October 19, 1912) was an American merchant and politician from New York (state), New York. He was the first New York State Superintendent of Public Works. Biography He was born in Franklin County, New York, ...

(1829–1912) nominated January 23, confirmed January 30, 1878 - January 15, 1880 * Silas Belden Dutcher (1829–1889) January 15, 1880 - February 13, 1883 *

James H. Shanahan James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

(1828–1897), February 13, 1883 - resigned 1889 *

Edward Hannan Edward Hannan may refer to: * Edward J. Hannan (1921–1994), Australian statistician * Edward Joseph Hannan Canon Edward Joseph Hannan (Irish: ''Éamonn Seosamh Ó hAnnáin'') (1836–1891) was an Irish-born priest, mainly remembered as the fo ...

, December 16, 1889 - Jan 2, 1895 *

George W. Aldridge George Washington Aldridge II (December 28, 1856 – June 13, 1922) was a prominent politician from New York state. After serving as the Mayor of Rochester, New York, he became the boss of the Republican Party in Rochester and was influential in ...

January 2, 1895 - Jan 16, 1899 * John Nelson Partridge, January 16, 1899 - Dec 20, 1901 *

Charles S. Boyd Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

, December 20, 1901 - January 4, 1905 *

Nicholas Van Vranken Franchot Nicholas Van Vranken Franchot (August 21, 1855 – May 6, 1943) was an American businessman and politician from New York. Life He was born on August 21, 1855, in Morris, Otsego County, New York, the son of Congressman Richard Franchot (1816–18 ...

, January 4, 1905 - January 14, 1907 *

Frederick C. Stevens (New York politician) Frederick Charles Stevens (June 5, 1856 - March 14, 1916) was an American politician from New York who served in the state senate and state legislature as well as Superintendent of Public Works. Early life Born in Attica, Wyoming County, New Yo ...

, January 14, 1907 - January 4, 1911 *

Charles E. Treman Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

, January 4, 1911 - January 1, 1913 * Duncan W. Peck, January 1, 1913 - January 6, 1915 * William Wallace Wotherspoon January 6, 1915 - February 3, 1919 * Lewis Nixon, February 3, 1919 - May 3, 1919 *

Edward S. Walsh Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sax ...

, May 3, 1919 - January 19, 1921 * Charles L. Cadle, January 19, 1921 - January 9, 1923 *

, January 9 - August 30, 1923 *

Frederick Stuart Greene Frederick Stuart Greene (1870 - March 26, 1939), was Superintendent of Public Works of New York State. Greene was an outspoken opponent to the scope of the United States Numbered Highways The United States Numbered Highway System (often calle ...

(1870–1939), August 30, 1923 - March 26, 1939 (retired, but died before successor was appointed) *

Arthur William Brandt Arthur William Brandt (March 14, 1888 – June 11, 1943) was the New York State Superintendent of Public Works from March 30, 1939, to May 20, 1943. Biography He was born in Ontario, New York, on March 14, 1888, during the Great Blizzard of 1888 ...

(1888–1943), March 30, 1939 - May 20, 1943 * Charles Harvey Sells (1889–1978), May 20, 1943 - September 30, 1948 (announced resignation on September 2 ) * Bertram Dalley Tallamy (1901–1989) September 30, 1948 - 1955 * John W. Johnson (New York) 1955 - 1959 * John Burch McMorran (1899–1991) 1959 - September 1, 1967, when he continued in office as the first head of the

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:New York State Department Of Public Works

Public Works Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, sc ...

History of New York (state) 1876 establishments in New York (state) Government agencies established in 1876 1967 disestablishments in New York (state) Government agencies disestablished in 1967