South Colton, NY - Racquette River Corridor Project

Welcome to
SOUTH COLTON, NY
Town of Colton, St. Lawrence County
RA(C)QUETTE RIVER CORRIDOR PROJECT
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Home of Sunday Rock

"The hills begin here. So do the woods. The great South Woods, the Adirondacks". The Town of Colton straddles the northern boundary of the Adirondack Forest Preserve. One end of the two touches on the neat homes of St. Lawrence County; the other reaches into the woods. In the middle is Sunday Rock.

Previous to settlement in this area, the Indian trail into the mountains ran by here. In that long ago time, this 64,000 pound glacial boulder was used as a landmark by the Indians, and when the white settlers came, they used it for the same purpose. The rock was a natural landmark, and travelers were guided by the big rock in the middle of the road, and the rock separated the woods from the world.

There was no law for deer nor trout, and all the woods was one grand hunting ground. In those days, it was said that beyond the rock there was no Sunday. Camp life went on from day to day with no change. It was all one glorious holiday when Tuesday might just as well have been Saturday, and Thursday and Wednesday could change places, and Friday might begin the week for all anybody knew or cared. The rivers, the brooks, the ponds, the mountains and the trees, the fleet deer, the rushing trout, the wild cat and the black bear ruled supreme. It was their land, and there was no Sunday. The road past the rock also served as the way in for scores of loggers and for them, here the rough and tumble fellowship of the winter camp began. Thus the big rock began to be called Sunday Rock. By whom, nobody knows but the reason is evident.

Click here for the rest of the story of Sunday Rock

South Colton was originally called Three Falls. The small, peaceful community is nestled along the river between the South Colton and Higley Flow reservoirs. Higley Flow State Park provides outstanding camping, fishing, cross-country skiing and hiking opportunities. Upstream from South Colton are the major Raquette River impoundments: South Colton, Five Falls, Rainbow Falls, Blake Falls, Stark Falls, and Carry Falls Reservoirs. Rainbow and Blake are in the Town of Parishville, as well as a part of Stone Valley. Farther upstream on the Raquette are Jamestown and Moody Falls, accessed by short trails from Route 56. See a 1905 map of the Raquette River from Potsdam to South Colton and a 1908 map of the river upstream of South Colton.

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04.20.06