Nationally known storyteller Jeannine Laverty will be performing at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site on Sunday, July 30 at 6:00pm as the kickoff event of the annual Not Just for Kids Storytelling series. Her performance will take place outdoors in front of the Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center on Schoharie Street in Fort Hunter. The show will move indoors in case of rain. Guests are invited to linger, chat, and enjoy refreshments after the show. The event is free.
Jeannine Laverty is a gifted storyteller, who has been performing since 1979. Her wide range of stories spans the world from the Adirondacks to Asia giving her audience a deeply satisfying understanding of the world through the eyes of another. She also uses her storytelling talent to teach other tellers, and she has been the recipient of many awards including a leadership award from the National Storytelling Network.
The Not Just for Kids Storytelling series continues throughout August and into September. The following artists will be part of the series: Elizabeth Ellis, Aug. 6, Peter Cook, Aug. 13, Michael Reno Harrell, Aug. 20, Joe Bruchac, Aug. 27 and Becky Holder, Sept. 10.
Saratoga Arts made this program possible with a Community Arts Grant funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The program is also supported by Stewart’s Shops, L’Ultimo Restaurant, MaryJane’s Market, the Garden Bug and Karen’s Produce.
For more information about these events and more, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, email: SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov, or visit our Facebook page Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 60 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will be screening the 1935 classic film, A Farmer Takes A Wife starring Henry Fonda and Janet Gaynor on July 22nd starting at 7:30pm, outside the Visitor Center on Schoharie Street in Fort Hunter. Join in the fun as we watch this wonderful and charming love story set on the Erie Canal in the mid-19th Century.
A farmer works on the canal to earn money to buy a farm. He meets a cook on a canal boat, but she can’t even consider leaving the exciting life on the canal for a banal one on a farm. Jotham Klore is the leading canal boater on the Erie Canal. He’s also a bullying braggart. His cook, Molly Larkins, loves working on the canal. Young Dan Farrow signs onto another boat, owned by Samson Weaver, with plans to save enough money to buy a farm. Dan and Molly fall in love, but their romance runs aground on the conflict between his love of farming and her devotion to the canal.
This film is adapted from the play that was based on the book Rome Haul by Walter D. Edmonds.
The viewing moves inside the Enders House if raining. This is a free event open to the public. Please bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. Popcorn and other refreshments will be available.
As part of a statewide commemoration of the Erie Canal’s 200th anniversary, the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter and the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse will host a lecture by Dr. Carol Sheriff, author of The Artificial River, Sunday, July 23, at 4:00 p.m. inside the newly renovated Visitors Center at 129 Schoharie Street.
Reflections on Erie’s Waters is a collaboration between The Erie Canal Museum and The Canal Society of New York State to commemorate the waterway’s bicentennial and examine its legacy and future through diverse viewpoints. Reflections presents an inclusive view of the Erie Canal, examines its relevance and importance and heightens awareness of its historical impact, current significance and future potential through a series of workshops, lectures and exhibits.
Dr. Sheriff’s lecture, Becoming Second Nature: The Erie Canal’s Early History, examines how the new waterway initially symbolized the young republic’s technological and economic progress, and was even hailed as a divinely ordained mission. She will discuss how the Erie Canal redefined daily routines, livelihoods and values for thousands of New Yorkers, and remapped the region’s physical and human geography.
Dr. Sheriff is author of The Artificial River: The Erie Canal and the Paradox of Progress, 1817-1862, which was honored by the New York State Historical Association in 1996. She is a Professor of History at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and co-author of several American history publications and textbooks.
The Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the Erie Canal as one of the 19th century’s greatest commercial and engineering projects. The Visitor Center exhibit traces the history of the Erie Canal and its impact on the growth of New York State and the nation. Within the site’s boundaries are many structures dating from the three eras of the canal’s development. For more information, call (518) 829-7516.
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. The Museum is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free with a suggested $5 donation.
For more information on the Reflections on Erie’s Waters program or any of the artist-led workshops or statewide lecture series, contact Vicki Krisak, Director of Communications and Outreach, Erie Canal Museum, vicki@eriecanalmuseum.org, (315) 471-0593, ext. 15, or visit the Erie Canal Museum website Eriecanalmuseum.org.
Reflections on Erie’s Waters is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Replica 1862 Canal Schooner Lois McClure on the Champlain Canal – Stern. Courtesy Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s (LCMM’s) replica 1862 canal schooner LoisMcClure (opens in a new tab) will be in port at Riverlink Park in Amsterdam on Thursday, July 13 from 12-6pm and Riverfront Park in Canajoharie on Friday, July 14 from 4-7pm during her 2017 Legacy Tour commemorating the Erie Canal Bicentennial. The World Canals Conference, which celebrates canals as “agents of transformation,” inspired the 2017 “Legacy Tour” of Lois McClure. The tour pays tribute to the legacy of the canals, which celebrate 200 years in 2017, and the legacy of the Northern Forest trees, which built the thousands of wooden boats that plied our waterways. Visitors can board the schooner free of charge to explore the 88-foot long boat and a special exhibit.” “The Lois McClure has a unique capability to bring 200 years of canal history to life, while engaging people to appreciate and protect our legacy waterways,” says New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton. “It can also help inform how the canal system can best serve the evolving needs of present and future generations.”
During the Legacy Tour the schooner crew will share with community members and students a maritime perspective on the relationship between waterways and trees, canal boats and forests through an initiative called Stem to Stern. “The forests and the waterways are a key to understanding how America transformed into a powerful and prosperous nation,” says Erick Tichonuk, LCMM Co-Executive Director. “Using human and animal power, the canal builders cleared a pathway 60 feet wide and more than 400 miles long, much of it through forested lands, to create the water highway that brought an economic boom. Almost overnight, natural resources too bulky to ship overland became valuable commodities.” The canals opened a floodgate of trade between the Champlain Valley, ports along the Hudson River and the Atlantic Seaboard, and through western New York to the Great Lakes.
However, the transformation also brought some unintended consequences. Stem to Stern is designed to spark insight into the impact of deforestation: eroded soil, silted waterways, loss of habitat for fish and wildlife, and the arrival of invasive species. Marking the transition to an era of habitat for fish and wildlife, and the arrival of invasive species. Marking the transition to an era sustainable forestry and environmental stewardship, the schooner will transport a cargo of white oak and white pine seedlings provided by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Trees for Tributaries Program, to be planted in communities along the canal.
Further information and the full itinerary of the 2017 Legacy Tour can be found at www.lcmm.org (opens in a new tab) . Travel conditions for this traditional wooden vessel are weather dependent, so the schedule is subject to change.
Lois McClure was built by LCMM shipwrights and volunteers on the Burlington waterfront, based on two shipwrecks of 1862-class canal schooners discovered in Lake Champlain. Since 2004, Lois McClure has cruised Lake Champlain, the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers, and the Erie Canal System, and has visited over 200 communities and welcomed aboard more than 225,000 visitors. As an authentic replica, Lois McClure has no means of propulsion other than sail, so 1964 tugboat C. L. Churchill serves as power. As with all wooden vessels, constant care and maintenance is needed to ensure safe and effective operation.
Schooner Lois McClure is an educational outreach program of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM), Vermont. A museum with a difference, LCMM brings underwater discoveries and lake adventures to the public in exciting and imaginative ways. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 15, 2017. For more information visit www.lcmm.org (opens in a new tab) or call (802) 475-2022.
The Friends of Schoharie Crossing are hosting a juried art exhibition entitled Views and Vistas: The Natural and Built Environment of Schoharie Crossing. The opening will take place on July 8 at the Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center from 4-7pm. Refreshments will be served, and singer song writer, Kate Blain will perform for the event.
Schoharie Crossing provides magnificent views of nature as well as human engineering. Historic Erie Canal structures are juxtaposed among the natural world of plants and animals along the Schoharie Creek and Mohawk River. The tranquil waterways, wetlands, and Erie Canal structures of Schoharie Crossing are wonderfully presented in the art work on display in the Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center.
The show was juried by 3 notable artists: Natalie Bobinka, Visual Arts Resource Teacher Schenectady High School, International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Instructor, Curator Butzel Gallery/Schenectady, NY, Joel Chapin, Professor of Fine Arts, director of the Perrella Gallery, and J. Bruce Schwabach, Emeritus Associate Professor of Art, Herkimer College of SUNY.
Sponsors of the opening include: Bourbon Street Wine and Liquor Warehouse, Hummingbird Hills Winery, The Wine Barrel, MaryJane’s Market, 518 Grille, Olde Brick House, Black Bear Wine and Spirits and Italian Oven.
The art opening will close out the first day of Canal Days, an annual community festival celebrating the history of the Erie Canal. Events earlier in the day include performances by blue grass band, Three Quarter North, wagon rides, J.D. Winslow Equestrian Entertainment,
Views and Vistas will run until August 20th in the newly renovated Visitor Center on Schoharie Street in Fort Hunter. Please visit the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site page of the New York State Parks website, nysparks.com, call Schoharie Crossing at 518 829-7516, or email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov for more information.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 60 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.
WATERFORD, NY- As the NYS Canal System gets set to open on May 19, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has released nine new itineraries to lead people to great places and experiences along the Erie and Champlain Canals. The itineraries showcase some of the best historic sites, national and state parks, museums, and recreational experiences and are suited for weekend and day trips. Suggestions for cycling, hiking, paddling, and canal tours, as well as nearby places to eat or picnic are also included.
“As we celebrate the bicentennial of Erie Canal construction in 1817, we hope these itineraries will entice people to enjoy the canal today and learn about its lasting impact on New York State and the Nation,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
Strong collaboration among national, state, and local partners made this project possible. Erie Canalway itineraries were funded with support from the National Park Service and Empire State Development’s Market NY program, part of the State’s Regional Economic Development Council awards. Each one features a national or state park along with nearby historic sites and canal recreation experiences.
Gavin Landry, Executive Director of Tourism for Empire State Development said, “We are proud to support the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor as we celebrate and promote the bicentennial of the Erie Canal this summer. These new itineraries will introduce travelers to some of Upstate New York’s best destinations, which will further bolster statewide tourism and the economic boost visitors bring to local businesses.”
“Whether it’s your first time on the Erie Canal or you’ve spent a lifetime enjoying this iconic waterway, these itineraries have something for everyone,” saidNew York State Canal Corporation Director Brian Stratton. “They are a great way to discover the rich history of the region and learn more about how the Erie Canal transformed the nation.”
Erie Canalway Itineraries INCLUDE:
Western New York
Go Where the Buffalonians Roam (Buffalo)
Experience the Power of Water (Niagara Falls and Lockport)
Follow America’s Destiny (Stillwater to Schuylerville)
The NYS Canal System is a NationalHistoric Landmark (opens in a new tab) that includes the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning more than 500 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes, and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique and historic communities. The 365-mile Erie Canalway Trail (opens in a new tab) is a multi-use trail from Albany to Buffalo, much of it along the canal’s former towpath. Together the canals and trail create a world-class recreationway that is a vibrant, scenic and unique New York resource.
ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York. www.eriecanalway.org (opens in a new tab)
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site has announced that the third annual Putman Porch Music series will start on Thursday, June 1st at 6:00pm. The series invites local musicians to come spend an evening on the historic Putman Canal Store porch to jam and enliven the vibe of the former Erie Canal stop off. Putman’s store building is located at Yankee Hill Lock on the grounds of Schoharie Crossing, 553 Queen Anne Road.
Musicians with an interest in American roots, bluegrass and folk music are encouraged to spend some time on the porch and be a part of a great experience. Much like a group of canawlers that happen to be stuck waiting at the lock, a few instruments and strong voices is all that is needed to pass the time.
Putman Porch Music will occur every Thursday in June from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. These are free events open to the public.
The grounds for the site are open all year from dawn until dusk.
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will host Helen Martin on April 25th at 6:30pm to present, “The Ultimate Rift: Evolution within the Women’s Suffrage Movement.” Martin will discuss the evolution in the movement and the role of Johnstown, NY native Elizabeth Cady Stanton in securing women the right to vote.
The presentation will focus on suffrage efforts and the ultimate rift between the “old guard” and the younger generation of suffragists who became involved. It will cover how women in New York gained suffrage three years before the entire nation did, and this program will discuss the attention paid to as well as credit given to the younger group at that time; partially because so many of the “old guard” had passed away prior to the passage of suffrage in NY State in 1917.
Helen Martin is the secretary of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Women’s Consortium as well as a board member of the Johnstown Historical Society and the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Hometown Association. She is a member of the American Association of University Women and also a chairwoman on the Mohawk Valley Region NYS Path Through History Committee. She has been a Council Woman in the City of Johnstown since 2011.
There will be a brief Friends Group meeting to discuss upcoming programs and plans for 2017 prior to the presentation. This is a free event open to the public. Refreshments will be served. This program takes place in the Enders House on Schoharie Street in Fort Hunter.
For information about this event and more, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7518, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov, or visit our Facebook page.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which are visited by 69 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.
The Montgomery County Anti-Slavery Society was organized at the Presbyterian church (now the Calvary Reformed Church) in Hagaman in 1836. This was the county’s first official stance against the institution of slavery. Many local abolitionists were instrumental in organizing this society. A marker is placed outside of the church signifying its importance in the anti-slavery movement.
Green Hill Cemetery in Amsterdam – Self-guided Walking Tour
23 Cornell Street, Amsterdam
Abolitionism and African American Life in Amsterdam (opens in a new tab) : Amsterdam, referred to by some as “the abolition hole,” was a hotbed of activity in the anti-slavery movement that swept the country in the years leading up to the Civil War. Many of the local prominent residents participated in the cause to assist those seeking a life of freedom. The area’s black residents also participated in the fight to end slavery with the Civil War. A number of those participants, black and white, have their final resting place here at Green Hill Cemetery.
Canajoharie – Self-guided Walking Tour
Begin on Cliff Street, Canajoharie
The walking tour (opens in a new tab) focuses on the sites associated with the African American residents and the anti-slavery movement in the Village of Canajoharie. The brochure identifies sites with the village, those still existing and those that are gone with the passage of time.
Dr. James Mereness participated and organized anti-slavery meetings for the western part of Montgomery County for many years prior to the Civil War. Reports indicate that fugitive slaves seeking freedom from their lives in servitude sought shelter in Mereness’ home as part of the Underground Railroad network. Dr. Mereness died in 1872, at which time, he continued his interests in improving the lives of African Americans through bequests to educate them.
The top floor of the 1835 Ames Museum, used as an academy from 1839 to 1959, houses many local artifacts featuring Ames’ hey-day as the hops-growing capital of 19th Century America. This building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
They Built America tells the story of a young Irish immigrant named Kelly McPherson, a teenage girl who disguises herself as a boy to work on the Erie Canal. As Kelly searches for her brother, who has gone on ahead of her, she meets historical figures such as DeWitt Clinton and Canvass White (the scientist who invented the first waterproof cement). She also encounters leaders of the New York State Legislature; and a variety of immigrant workers including Sal (a Cockney cook), Tony (an Italian stonecutter) and Gus and Inga Erickson (Swedish immigrants who commandeer one of the canal packet boats).
Sourced from more than 35 historical records, the characters in the play are based on real men, women and children—politicians, farmers, merchants and laborers, who came north to build the Erie Canal, the miraculous waterway that transformed America into a great nation, and made New York the Empire State.
The production features five songs of the period, including “Oh! That Low Bridge,” “Song of the Diggers” and the beloved tune taught in schools state wide, “Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal.” All are arranged by folklorist George Ward and performed by the company on guitars, fiddle and percussion instruments.
Researched by historian Rena Kosersky and written by Capital Repertory Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, They Built America: The Workers of the Erie Canal is the third original play in a series highlighting the role of upstate New York in forging the history of America.
Schoharie Crossing is a wonderful location to witness the marvel of the Erie Canal. Contained within the boundaries of the site are segments of the original 1820’s canal as well as from the Enlarged era and the remains of the Schoharie Creek Aqueduct. The site is adjacent to today’s modern canal on the Mohawk River and Tribes Hill Lock E12. Partnership for this program with the Canajoharie Library helps bring this performance to another canal town and to the larger Mohawk Valley community. Collaborative programs will continue between the site and library during the Erie Canal bicentennial celebrations. Performance at the Arkell Museum, 2 Erie Blvd., Canajoharie, 13317. For more information, contact Janice at Schoharie Crossing – (518)829-7518 or SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov.
