New York State, much like the rest of the country, has a long, complex, and challenging history with the institution of slavery and the movement to abolish it. Evidence of this history can still be seen throughout the state; including along the historic route of the Erie Canal and its…
Message in a Bottle: From Ashes, to Artifacts, to Ancestry
By Amie Flanigan, Erie Canal Museum Project Archivist Every summer for as long as I can remember, my family has spent weekends visiting the flea markets of Oswego County, on a quest for some very personal treasure. The treasure we sought was not gold, but glass… Even as a child…
Erie Canalway IMPACT! Grants Support Education and Preservation along the Erie Canal
View Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Press Release WATERFORD, NY- The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is pleased to announce that 13 non-profit organizations and municipalities will receive Erie Canalway IMPACT! Grants in 2021 totaling $108,787. The grants advance vital work to preserve and showcase canal heritage, educate youth, and…
Through the Mire: A Look at the Environmental History of the Erie Canal
By David Brooks, Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site An examination of the environmental history of Upstate New York and its impact on the Erie Canal The waterways of New York State have been utilized for hundreds of years but with the arrival of Europeans and the age of colonialism, their…
Syracuse’s First Fourth of July Celebration
A look at Syracuse’s 1820 Fourth of July celebration By Derrick Pratt, Erie Canal Museum Educator The Erie Canal totally transformed the state of New York. In few places was that transformation as clear as in the Erie Canal Museum’s hometown, Syracuse. Prior to the Canal, what became the City…
Exploring New Jersey’s Morris Canal
Courtesy of the Canal Society of New Jersey A brief overview of New Jersey’s historic Morris Canal In 1824 the Morris Canal & Banking Company (MC&BC) was chartered to build a canal that would carry coal, mined in Pennsylvania, to developing markets along the eastern seaboard. The canal would pass…