Delta is a former village located near Rome, New York. The village of Delta was established in the 1800s, but was submerged to form Delta Reservoir in the early 20th century.
The village was connected to the town of Western originally, and was located within the former Delta River Valley near the Mohawk River and the Black River Canal. For generations, Delta was a country town full of farms; shops and businesses were eventually built on the western side of the village.
History
In the 1800s, a man named Israel Stark began to plan and develop the village of Delta, among others. Prosper E. Rudd moved from Connecticut to Delta and installed the early grist mill, helping modernize the village. David Smith Sr. built the first sawmill in the village, beginning a key program that helped build homes and stores and prosperity throughout the village. Families and friends soon moved into the village, increasing the population. When other villages formed around Delta in 1811, it split the people into other towns.
In 1903, New York passed an agreement to enlarge and improve the Erie Canal. The expanded canal required more water, necessitating the construction of new reservoirs. One reservoir was planned to be close to Delta village, and in four years the dam submerged the village of Delta.