Open For Business: The Erie Canal’s 1820 Season

Virtual lecture examines the first year of canal navigation for the Middle Section of the Erie Canal.

200 years ago, in 1820, the Middle Section of the Erie Canal opened for navigation between Montezuma and Utica. This momentous event transformed the State of New York, especially the 96 miles this stretch of canal passed through, including the swampy frontier crossroads community of Syracuse, now home of the Erie Canal Museum. Join the Museum’s Educator, Derrick Pratt, for this special lunchtime lecture examining what occurred here in Syracuse and along the entire middle section during this transformative year.

The talk is part of the Museum’s bimonthly lunchtime lecture series. It will be on Facebook Live to protect everyone’s health and safety. As a result there is no charge to attend. We do, however, invite you to make a $5 donation through the Shop page of our website. $5 is the admission fee for our in-person lunchtime lectures.

For more information, email derrick@eriecanalmuseum.org. We hope you’ll join us for this interesting presentation!

The Erie Canal Museum is partially supported by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.