About

Located on the shore of Seneca Lake in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region, US Salt has been in operation since 1893. The refinery sits atop a rich underground supply of salt. Water needed for the plant’s operations comes from Seneca Lake, a 40-mile long body of fresh water.Salt was first discovered in Watkins Glen in 1882. During that year the Watkins Oil Well Company was organized to drill for petroleum, gas, salt and other minerals. The company drilled a well on the hillside west of Watkins Glen, on the site of a spring which the Indians knew had medicinal properties. In September 1882, the Watkins Oil Well Company reported that, at 1,513 feet below the surface, it had reached a sufficient flow of brine to make salt. By 1890, the first brine-producing well was put into service. Impurities in the brine made it difficult to dry the salt. The first real producer of salt in Schuyler County, N.Y., was the Glen Salt Company. It drilled wells on property at Watkins Glen, now owned by US Salt.The Glen Salt Company drilled its first well in 1893, struck salt at 1,841 feet, and stopped drilling at 1,902 feet without reaching the bottom of the salt bed. In 1894 a second well was dug without hitting the bottom of the salt bed. By 1896 a third well was dug that stopped at 1,927 feet, still in solid salt.US Salt holds a reputation as a safe, environmentally-conscious businesses – as well as good neighbor – in the communities serve. Thank you for trusting your business with ours.