The Ashokan Reservoir is a visual treat for anyone using the perimeter road, dividing weir, or the new Ashokan Rail Trail. The background of Catskill Mountain peaks, which frame 12 square miles of water, create a vista that makes the visitor wonder how this all came to be. The author wanted to bring the story of how this massive dam, miles of dikes, and water controls come together into a system that provides New York City residents 500 million gallons of water daily. Accolades go to the Board of Water Supply engineers who, in the 1900s, designed the project and to the contractors and their workers who, more than 100 years ago and mostly by hand, completed an undertaking nearly the magnitude of the Panama Canal. Construction started on September 30, 1907. In six years, on September 9, 1913, water storage began. The dam and dikes, followed by roads and bridges, completed the project in December 1917. Completion was ahead of schedule and under budget! Author Frank Almquist hopes his collection of real-photo postcards and other collected material, with support of local collectors, libraries, and historical societies, will provide the reader with a better understanding of how the reservoir was built. The Images of America series celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country. Using archival photographs, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today. Arcadia is proud to play a part in the preservation of local heritage, making history available to all.