Award winning storyteller Jennifer Munro will be performing at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site on Sunday, August 5th at 6:00 pm as part of the annual Not Just for Kids Storytelling series. Her performance entitled “Cast of Characters: Ordinary Stories about Extraordinary Moments” will take place outdoors near the Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center. 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.
Jennifer Munro is a featured teller at this year’s National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. Her extensive repertoire of stories explore the triumphs and foibles of the human condition. She has a wicked sense of humor, and her original stories are witty, poignant and warm hearted.
The Not Just for Kids Storytelling series continues throughout August and into September. The following artists will be part of the series: Andy Offutt Irwin, Aug. 12, Claire Nolan Aug. 19, Anne Shimojima, Aug. 26 and Nancy Marie Payne, Sept. 9.
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, Mary Jane’s Market, L’Ultimo, the Garden Bug, Karen’s Produce and the Friends of Schoharie Crossing.
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 (opens in a new tab) has announced the return of the Putman Porch Music series for its fourth year starting on Thursday, June 7th at 6:00pm. This 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.
This year there are 11 Author/Historian Presentation and Panel Discussion. Starting on Thursday, June 7th, Michael E. Newton will present “Alexander Hamilton’s Revolutionary War Service”. On Friday, June 8th, Russell Shorto will present “Revolution Song: America’s Founding Era in Six Remarkable Lives”.
On Saturday/Sunday, June 9th and 10th, there are the following presentations:
Edward G. Lengel – George Washington and the Burning of New York City, 1776
Eric H. Schnitzer – “Hessians” at the Battle of Bennington, 1777
James L. Nelson – Benedict Arnold’s Navy: The Story of the Rag Tag Fleet that Lost the Battle of Valcour Island and Won the American Revolution
Don N. Hagist – Redcoats Along the Mohawk: British Soldiers in Western New York, 1777-1783
Bruce M. Venter – Benedict Arnold’s Nemesis: Colonel John Brown’s Fateful Journey to the Mohawk Valley
Jennifer DeBruin – Traitors, Spies & Heroes: Loyalist Espionage in the American Revolution
Glenn F. Williams – Sir William Johnson, the Iroquois Confederacy and Lord Dunmore’s War
John Buchanan – Two Warriors: George Washington and Sir William Howe
Wayne Lenig – The Tryon County Committee of Safety
New this year, a Panel Discussion where presenters and the audience will discuss which side they would choose, Patriot or Loyalist?
On Thursday, June 7th, there is a Bus Tour of the 1778 Battle & Raid Sites. The bus tour will feature the events of 1778; the Battle of Cobleskill, the Cherry Valley Massacre, Springfield, Andrustown, Adam Helmer’s Run, Fort Herkimer and Fort Plain/Rensselaer (opens in a new tab) . There is a lunch stop in Cooperstown.
New this year, is a Genealogy Day, this is held on Friday, June 8th. Guests can visit the Mohawk Country (opens in a new tab) historic sites located throughout Montgomery County. Sites will have presentations and/or historians on hand to discuss the families that fought on both sides during the American Revolution.
On the evening of Saturday, June 9th, “An Evening with Washington and Madison” including an all new Fundraiser Dinner held at the Bridge Walk at the Perthshire (opens in a new tab) . Join George Washington and James Madison, portrayed by Brian Hilton and Kyle Jenks, as they discuss their journeys to upstate New York and other founding moments.
Center Plan Gains Traction: Enters ‘Re-imagine the Canals’ Competition
Schenectady – Utica/Rome NY Newswire: Towns, villages, and historical organizations join with CDTA, Via Port Rotterdam and Mohawk Valley Region Economic Development to support this historic tourism effort.
● Promotion of the Mohawk Valley and Erie Canal Towns from Albany to Utica/Rome.
● Twenty-two towns in seven counties targeted to benefit from coordinated effort.
● Tourism is the number three driver of economic development in New York State.
● Mohawk Valley towns need a new coordinated effort.
● From 1920 through the 1930s, the
‘Mohawk Valley Turnpike (now Route 5) was the number one tourism roadway in New York State.
The ‘Re-imagine The Canals’ competition will set the Mohawk Valley/Canal Country as a destination, with connections at Via Port to all attractions in the Capital District, and on to all the sites through to Utica/Rome.
The first Tourism Center preview is an open house at Via Port. The Tribes Hill Heritage Center’s ‘Native Crafts’, is featuring original items from all across the United States. The exhibit open house is 11am Saturday Feb. 24th at Via Port Rotterdam Mall, 93 W. Campbell Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306
New Research Sheds Light on Canalway Corridor Visitors
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor today released results from a recently-commissioned study about current and prospective visitors to the 500-mile Canalway Corridor. The information is intended to help tourism promoters, businesses and heritage sites better attract and serve visitors, including boaters, cyclists, sightseers and vacationers. “This new research really helps us understand who visits, what attracts them, the kinds of activities they engage in, and what they think of their experience. We are grateful that so many people took the time to offer their feedback and insights,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Ross D. Levi, New York State Executive Director of Tourism, said, “The Erie Canal is a tourism crown jewel for New York State, providing countless opportunities for residents and visitors alike to discover its history, enjoy its water activities and explore its attractions in surrounding towns and villages. This study will help our tourism partners better understand canal visitors, which will help their marketing efforts and continue to increase tourism statewide.” More than 1,000 people participated in online surveys and 20 provided in-depth interviews conducted by Rochester-based Level 7 Market Research on behalf of the National Heritage Corridor. Visitors and prospective visitors who live near the canal system, as well as those from other parts of New York and neighboring states, participated, providing a reliable and geographically-diverse research sample. Among the findings:
Recent and prospective visitors were drawn to the history of the area and to exploring local canal communities; boat tours/boating and attending festivals/events are major draws among prospective visitors.
Most recent visitors rated their experience high— 8 out of 10.
70% of visitors who live in the Canalway Corridor selected “Always been curious about the area” and “Destination for personal journey/accomplishment” among their top reasons for visiting.
Recent canal visitors tend to be older, travel in smaller parties, and have higher income households compared with prospective visitors. Most are savvy travelers who are three times more likely to travel internationally.
Lack of awareness and knowledge are among the greatest barriers to visiting.
The research was funded by a grant from Market NY through I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism, as a part of the State’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
The full study is available at:https://eriecanalway.org/our-work/promote-tourismThe Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York, encompassing the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities. Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission and the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund work in partnership to preserve the region’s extraordinary heritage, to promote the Corridor as a world class tourism destination, and to foster vibrant communities connected by the waterway. www.eriecanalway.org
The Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community is bringing together award-winning and up-and-coming Haudenosaunee Filmmakers to showcase some of their work on Saturday, September 2 starting at 6pm. Good weather permitting, the film screening will be outdoors and attendees should bring blankets or lawn chairs. Rain will move the festival indoors, which seating provided. Admission costs are: $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and children, FREE for children 5 and under. Traditional and modern foods will be available for low cost.
Films at the festival will be shown in three groupings, which are as follows:
Film group 1: Experimental and Student Shorts
30 minutes of film shorts from Katsitsionni Fox’s Native Film Students
20-30 minutes of film shorts from the Rotinonshonni Storyteller’s Collective
Film group 2: From Haudenosaunee Territory to Standing Rock
The Spirit of Standing Rock, Kahsto’sera’a Paulette Moore (English, 30 minutes)
Senecas to Standing Rock: An Environmental RedVolution, Part I, Jason Corwin (50 minutes)
Film group 3: Protecting and Maintaining Cultural Traditions at Home
Ohero:kon – Under the Husk, Katsitsionni Fox (English/Mohawk, 2016: 26 minutes)
Give and Take, Terry Jones, Govind Deecee, and Erin Perkins (English, 2015: 14 minutes)
Soup for My Brother, Terry Jones (English/ Seneca, 2016: 10 minutes)
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 Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, the Akwesasne Cultural Restoration Program, and the Johnstown Walmart Distribution Center.
For more information, please contact Kanatsiohareke at: 518-673-4197 or: Kanatsiohareke@gmail.com
On Tuesday, August 22, The New York State Canal Corporation will be presenting a talk on the Mohawk River Moveable Dams. The talk, which begins at 6:30pm, is sponsored by the Friends of Schoharie Crossing. It will be held at the Enders House, close to the Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center in Fort Hunter, NY. Refreshments will be served following the event. The program is free, and all are welcome.
The presentation will showcase the eight movable dams between Schenectady and Fort Plain which regulate water flow on the Mohawk River for navigation of the Canal as well as water control. Dam gates are lowered into the river to form navigable pools during the summer but are pulled out of the water in the winter to clear the way for ice and debris filled flood waters. This engineering marvel has been a focus of attention since they were built in the early 20th century. The talk will give some of the history and engineering information about this remarkable innovation to the waterway.
For more information about these events and more, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516; email: SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov. 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.
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.
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.
