Black Brook, New York, USA (Au Sable Forks)
1862 - Au Sable

AU SABLE, pronounced Aw Saw-ble, a French name signifying river of sand, was taken from Peru, March 29, 1839. It is the southeast corner town in the County, Its surface is nearly level in the east, rolling in the center and hilly in the west. The Au Sable forms nearly the whole of the South boundary, the Little Sable flows northeasterly through. the west part. Its soil is generally a light sandy loam, fertile in the east and center, but poor for. agricultural purposes in the west. Upon the Au Sable, where it breaks through the Potsdam Sandstone, is a beautiful cascade, known as Birmingham Falls. This cascade is located about two miles below Keeseville, and the romantic and picturesque scenery will well repay the tourist for the trip to see them. Iron ore of an excellent quality is to be found. The. principal ore bed now worked is that of Messrs. Arnold & Co., which yields from 1,000 to 1,500 tons anüually. Keeseville, named from Oliver and Richard Keese, Sons of John Keese, one of the original proprietors-upon the Au Sable, five miles from the Lake, contains seven churches, the Keeseville Academy, two extensive rolling mills, three nail factories, a machine shop, an ax and edge tool factory, a cupola furnace, an axietree factory, a horseshoe factory, a planing mill, two grist mills, and a nail keg factory.

Clintonville, upon the Au Sable, in the west part of the town, was incorporated April 11, 1 1825. The Iron Works located here manufacture over 7,000 tons of iron annually.

Gazetteer and Business Directory of Franklin and Clinton Counties..., Hamilton Child, 1862

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