The town of Saugerties is located at the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River approximately 100 miles north of New York City. During the 1820’s maritime traffic in the area increased with the establishment of a paper mill, a saw mill and the opening of the Erie Canal. While the Esopus provided power to the mills, the tributary also created shallows in the river which were a menace to navigation. As shipping increased in the area, so did the need for navigational aids.