The Life and Times of a Canal Boat Cook

The Life and Times of a Canal Boat Cook

Educator Derrick Pratt's biography of Oliver Wendell Petrie, a worker on early 20th century canals By Derrick Pratt, Erie Canal Museum Educator Oliver Wendell Petrie was born into a large family on November 18, 1899 in Oswego, New York. His mother was an avid reader and named her son after Oliver Wendell Holmes, whom she Read More »
Designing and Constructing a Replica of DeWitt Clinton's Seneca Chief

Designing & Constructing A Replica of DeWitt Clinton’s Seneca Chief

By John Montague, Buffalo Maritime Center Join the Erie Canal Museum on Facebook Live, 10 a.m. May 7, to learn more about this project. In anticipation of the bicentennial of the opening of the Erie Canal in 2025, the Buffalo Maritime Center has undertaken a project to construct a replica of DeWitt Clinton’s packet boat Seneca Read More »
Western Terminus of the Erie Canal: Buffalo or Black Rock?

Western Terminus of the Erie Canal: Buffalo or Black Rock?

By Ashley Maready, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Erie Canal Museum  At the time of the original Erie Canal’s construction, in the early 19th century, the big question to be answered was, “Where will the Canal connect to Lake Erie?” A fierce battle ensued, between the villages of Buffalo and Black Rock. The winner of Read More »
Aboard the Auburn and Syracuse Railroad

Aboard the Auburn and Syracuse Railroad

By Jeff Ludwig Guest writer Jeff Ludwig wrote the following article about the historic Auburn and Syracuse Railroad, which began operating in 1839. In late morning on June 4th, 1839, New York Governor William Seward left his home in Auburn to board the 10.5 ton locomotive, the “Syracuse,” for the inaugural ride on the new steam-powered Read More »
March 14 Family History Research Workshop at the Erie Canal Museum

Museum hosts family history research workshop

By Pamela Vittorio, guest writer Visit https://eriecanalmuseum.org/store/product/family-history-workshop/ for more information and to register. Over the last twenty years, the digitization of genealogical records has become the mainstay of online sites like Family Search and Ancestry. The ability to retrieve and download records from the comfort of one’s home has allowed millions of family historians to Read More »