(Below is a transcription of the text on the sign -- you can select and copy the text if desired)

     The majestic Mohawk Valley has been the scene of many key events which have helped to shape the character and destiny of New York State and the nation.  This was once the home of the proud Mohawks, one of the main tribes of the powerful six-nation Iroquois Confederacy.  As the main gateway between the Adirondack Mountains and the Allegheny Plateau, the valley came to be used by French-Catholic missionaries, land-hungry settlers moving west, foreign travelers, French and Indian raiders, British tory, and American troops.  During the French and Indian War, and the American Revolution, it was a vital center of action -- the main highway for east-west communication and a major point of contact between the contending armies.
     The Erie Canal and New York Central Railroad followed the valley route and gave a new direction to its history.  Internal improvements led to intensive settlement and industrial growth.  While the valley has changed in many ways over the years, it still retains one element of the past -- its incomparable beauty.

Education Department                    State of New York    1981                Department of Transportation