Committed
to preserving
Committed to preserving the only existing weighlock building in the United States, the Erie Canal Museum collects and conserves Canal material, champions an appreciation and understanding of Erie Canal history through educational programming and promotes an awareness of the Canal's transforming effects on the past, present and future. More about the Museum...
Newsroom
May 11, 2012
Tomorrow: McCarthy Family Singers
Saturday, May 12 at 12:00 pm
Free and fun for the whole family!
The McCarthy Family will provide Irish storytelling mixed with traditional Irish music, Irish step-dancing and more!
The performance will take place in our upstairs gallery where The Irish and the Erie Canal is currently on display.
The McCarthy Family is:
Jim McCarthy: Guitar and Vocal
Shane McCarthy: Guitar, Mandolin, Spoons and Vocal
Deirdre McCarthy: Concertina, Tin Whistle, Spoons, Bodhran and Vocal
Creek Float
We had a great time at the Creek Float on Saturday, May 5 and hope you did, too!
Photo by Michelle Osborne. More photos from the Creek Float can be seen in Michelle’s album on Facebook.
April 26, 2012
Four Exciting Events In May!
Mark your calendars for our upcoming events! There is something for everyone.
May 12 from 12:00PM to 1:30PM: McCarthy Family Singers—Fun for the whole family! Jim, Shane, and Deirdre McCarthy share Irish songs, stories, language, and dance. Performance followed by ceili dance lessons. For more information about the McCarthy Family Singers, see their website. [FREE!]
May 14 from 5:30PM to 6:30PM: Through the Heartland on U.S. 20—Authors Mary and Bill Lewis share the story of Route 20, as described in their book series Through the Heartland on U.S. 20. They will discuss the effect the Erie Canal’s development had on the history of the communities along U.S. 20, both positive and negative. Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information about the books, see their website. [FREE!]
May 19 at 11:00AM, 1:00PM, & 3:00PM: Historic Downtown Erie Canal Walking Tour—Guided walking tour of historic Downtown Syracuse, exploring the same path where the famous waterway once ran. All proceeds support programming at the Erie Canal Museum. [$5/person, FREE for members] We will also be a stop on the Downtown Living Tour on May 19.
May 22: The Flight of the Wretched—Author Michael McCarthy tells the story of a young Irish couple immigrating to America in the mid-1800’s, as told in his novel The Flight of the Wretched: A Journey to the New World. Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information about the book, see his website. [FREE!]
April 12, 2011
The Irish and the Erie Canal
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the opening reception for our new exhibit, The Irish and the Erie Canal, especially David Hoyne from Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub for serving delicious shepherd’s pie and Irish cheeses, Angela from T. J. Sheehan Distributing for pouring fresh Irish brews, and the members of the Syracuse Irish Session for getting us on our feet with some Irish tunes. Also, a special thank you to the Irish American Heritage Museum for loaning their wonderful exhibit to us.
The exhibit will be on view until May 28th.
April 3, 2011
The Irish and the Erie Canal opens on Wednesday, April 11
The new exhibit at the Erie Canal Museum, The Irish and the Erie Canal, opens on Wednesday, April 11 with a reception from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.
The Irish and the Erie Canal, which will be on view at the Erie Canal Museum from April 11 through May 28, 2012.
“The Irish and the Erie Canal reveals the historical contributions of the Irish to the planning, designing, engineering, funding and construction of the famed achievement that transformed early America, and in particular New York City, into a world economic power, linking the Great Lakes and the interior of the young nation to the Atlantic Ocean,” stated Ed Collins, Chair of the Irish American Heritage Museum Board Of Trustees.
For centuries, immigrants have left Ireland in search of a new life in the United States, bringing with them their unique culture and temperament. Perhaps no other topic in American history better illustrates Irish America’s changing face than that of the Erie Canal. In fact, the Erie Canal may be seen as a microcosm of Irish America—the ethnic group’s experience along its route closely paralleling those of the Irish across the nation. Historian James Zibro conducted research at the Erie Canal Museum in 2010 and 2011 to develop this exhibit for the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany, New York. Museum Director Krisy O’Connor produced the exhibit and Museum volunteer Adele O’Connell served as the exhibit’s editor.
James Zibro, a Cohoes, NY, resident of Irish descent, is completing his PhD at Catholic University in Washington D.C. after earning Masters degrees in both American History and Irish Studies at the same university. Currently, Zibro is in the final phases of writing his dissertation, a social history of Irish-born soldiers in the American Civil War.
March 21, 2012
Dave Ruch: Live in Concert on Saturday, March 31
Dave Ruch performs a treasure trove of songs and stories that washed ashore with the workers, captains, passengers and crews of “Clinton’s Ditch,” all with lots of audience participation. This engaging program will entertain and enlighten, and features a variety of stringed and other musical instruments from canal days. Great for kids and families!
Equal parts historian, entertainer, educator, comedian and folklorist, Ruch finds his song material in dusty archives, obscure songbooks, diaries, old recordings, scholarly journals and sometimes from his own children, and brings these gems to life in a most entertaining style.
This performance is a Speakers in the Humanities program, which is made possible through the kindness of the New York Council for the Humanities.
March 20, 2012
TONIGHT: Girls’ Night Out
Celebrate the first official day of spring with a night of fun at the Erie Canal Museum’s Girls’ Night Out fundraiser!
Girls’ Night Out is tonight from 5:00 to 8:30 pm. Are you planning to come, but you have not yet bought your ticket? Call now to save money! 315.471.0593 x15
At Girls’ Night Out, you’ll be able to sip on wine and snack on food from local Syracuse restaurants while shopping for purses, jewelry, scarves, clothing, home goods, and more! When you get tired of shopping, you can relax with a massage or a chiropractic treatment. Be sure to take a turn receiving a psychic reading, which is only $20 for 15 minutes.
At 8:00 pm we will draw for raffle prizes. Raffle prizes include a massage treatment, reiki session, an assortment of beautiful accessories, and other item. Raffle tickets are only $1, and you may put as many as you’d like into the drawing for each prize.
Thank you for supporting the Erie Canal Museum!
March 19, 2012
Welcome to our new website!
After months of hard work, our new website is live! Thank you so much to Jeff and Damian with Lock 49 for making it look so wonderful!
The new site will be unveiled in three phases, so be sure to check back often for new updates!
