Events

The D&H Canal: 19th Century Engine of Prosperity program offered by Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site

Posted on September 22, 2020

The D&H Canal: 19th Century Engine of Prosperity program offered by Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site!

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will host Bill Merchant of the D&H Canal Museum on Thursday, September 24^th at 6:30pm for a special online program. The D&H Canal: 19th Century Engine of Prosperity tells the basic history of the Delaware and Hudson Canal and illustrates how many of the industries it fostered. Discover just how the canal that spanned from Pennsylvania to the Hudson River impacted the history of New York State.

Bill Merchant has been with the D&H Canal Historical Society for over eight years. He previously served as board president and is now employed as the Deputy Director for Collections, Historian and Curator. He also serves as president of the Delaware and Hudson Transportation Heritage Council, vice president of the Ulster County Historical Society, and on the board of the Century House Historical Society, where he serves as historian and collections committee chair.

This is a free event hosted via Webex and the link can be found on the Schoharie Crossing Facebook event listing or by visiting their NYS Parks webpage. Please note that the link online goes live ten minutes prior to the presentation.

This is part of a series of online programs Schoharie Crossing has been offering in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis. The Erie Canal historic site will continue to provide programs through Webex as well as other online programs and social media. Look for more great programs in October to recognize NYS History Month.

The site grounds remain open for appropriate socially distant recreational use from sunrise to sunset daily. Please observe NYS Guidelines while visiting Schoharie Crossing. For information about these programs, please find us on Facebook or you can call or email the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual state parks, historic sites, golf courses, boat launches and recreational trails, which are visited by 71 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 Offers Online Programs

Posted on July 24, 2020

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will continue to offer online programs throughout the summer even as the Visitor Center is now open by appointment. The Erie Canal historic site will provide programs through Webex as well as other online platforms and social media.

The next “virtual” program is scheduled for 6:30pm on Tuesday, July 28th and the topic will be how foodways in America changed because of westward expansion and the Erie Canal. Lavada Nahon will discuss how the movement of people and the mix of cultures transformed the way people eat. Nahon is a culinary historian, editor and historic interpreter for the Bureau of Historic Site and Park Services.

On Thursday, August 13^th at 6:30pm, join us via Webex as Schoharie Crossing hosts Schenectady City Historian Chris Leonard as he delivers a rollicking ride on the Erie Canal through Schenectady, from the Rexford Aqueduct to old Lock 23, the busiest transit point on the entire canal. Spend time with GE executives on boisterous pleasure cruises and hustle through backstreets with greenhorns desperately seeking whiskey. Travel with Leonard as he spins yarns of Schenectady’s unique characters, ne’er-do-well wharf rats, and foul-mouthed parrots, who made their livings on the canal.

During the month of August, the site is hosting a book club with weekly check-ins that will include discussion on the reading and an opportunity to pose questions. The selection is the 2016 release by author Jack Kelly, “Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold, and Murder on the Erie Canal.” Participants can submit questions for the author, as Kelly will be providing an online presentation with Q&A on September 2nd.

Additional programs are being planned. The site grounds are open for appropriate socially distant recreational use from sunrise to sunset daily. Please observe NYS Guidelines while visiting Schoharie Crossing.

For information about these programs, please find us on Facebook or you can call or email the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov. You can make a reservation to explore the Pathway to Empire exhibit by contacting the site.

Schoharie Crossing re-opening Visitor Center

Posted on July 20, 2020

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will be opening their Visitor Center for the 2020 season on Wednesday, July 22^nd. Days of operation for exhibit reservations will be Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 3pm. The site grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset.

In response to the covid-19 pandemic, the following health and safety guidelines will be in effect for the season:

Guided tours of the site grounds will be given on Wednesday through Saturday by advance reservation only. These tours are $2 per person. Grounds Tours will be limited to 10 people.
Access to the exhibit, “Pathway to Empire” is by reservation only. Visitors can call (518) 518-829-7516 during normal business hours to schedule. Exhibit area limited to 6 people.
Masks must be worn by all visitors inside the buildings or when social distance cannot be kept.
Access into the buildings will only be provided by staff. Visitors should arrive no more than 10 minutes prior to their scheduled reservation. Tours will start in front of the Visitor Center. Access to the exhibit will meet at the entrance door.

For information about the historic site, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov, or visit our Facebook page.

Canalway Challenge Promotes Health and History Along New York’s Canals

Posted on May 20, 2020

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor invites New Yorkers to take part in the Canalway Challenge in 2020, tracing history and tracking miles along New York’s canals and Canalway Trail. Part fitness challenge, part journey of discovery, the Canalway Challenge is free and registration is open to people of all ages and abilities.

“Staying healthy is a #1 priority for everyone right now. The Canalway Challenge is a great way for people to get outside and invest in mental and physical health, while exploring the canals in their local area,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

Participants register online and choose a mileage goal of 15, 90, 180, or 360 miles; then walk, run or cycle on the Canalway Trail or paddle safe sections of the NYS Canal System to achieve it. The Canalway Challenge can be done in one big trip or many small ones.

This year’s Challenge runs through the end of October, so people have plenty of time to complete it.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “Set alongside our state’s iconic canals, the Canalway Challenge offers participants an opportunity to enjoy the bucolic landscapes of Upstate New York, exercising their minds and bodies, while also practicing safe social distancing.”

Families are encouraged to use the Canalway Challenge to supplement home-based learning about New York State history. Educational worksheets and learning resources are available from the National Heritage Corridor to complement what children will see while on the trail.

Participants in last year’s Canalway Challenge logged 285,000 miles, the equivalent of circling the Earth 11 times.

Participants should follow all New York State Department of Health guidelines for social distancing, wearing a mask and proper hygiene while on the Canalway Trail and while visiting state parks, historic sites, and communities along the way. Updates are posted https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/new-york-state-pause.

Sign up at www.canalwaychallenge.org

ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY
Nearly 200 years after its construction, the Erie Canal remains an iconic symbol of American ingenuity and determination. 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. We achieve our 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.
http://www.eriecanalway.org/

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NOTICE TO MARINERS – 2020 CANAL SEASON OPENING SCHEDULE

Posted on May 18, 2020

The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that much of the 524-mile Canal system will open for through navigation of the locks by July 4, 2020 as maintenance and construction projects are set to resume on a regional basis under the “NY Forward Reopening” plan.

Canal Corporation crews and contractors will mobilize to work sites in the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, Central NY, Finger Lakes, and Western NY regions as those areas reopen. Maintenance work that needs to be completed at specific Canal facilities varies by location and locks along the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca Canals will open for passage in a staggered fashion. Announcements regarding specific lock or regional openings will be communicated through the Canal Corporation’s “Notice to Mariners” notification program available at www.canals.ny.gov.

OPENING SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)

Capital Region – “NY Forward Reopening” Date TBD

Erie Canal from Lock E-2 in Waterford to Lock E-9 in Rotterdam
Champlain Canal from Lock C-1 in Waterford to Lock C-12 in Whitehall

Mohawk Valley Region – Locks opening in phases, targeted for between July 4^th & August 10^th

Erie Canal Lock E-10 in Cranesville through Sylvan Beach at Oneida Lake

Central NY Region – Locks targeted for opening by July 4^th

Erie Canal from Oneida Lake to Lock E-25 in May’s Point
Oswego Canal – except Lock O-7 in Oswego

Finger Lakes Region – Locks targeted for opening by July 4^th

Erie Canal from Lock E-25 in May’s Point to Locks E-34/35 in Lockport – except Lock E-26 in Clyde
Cayuga – Seneca Canal – except Locks CS-2/3 in Seneca Falls

Western NY Region – “NY Forward Reopening” Date TBD

Erie Canal Locks E-34/35 in Lockport through Tonawanda

As maintenance and construction work commences, most boaters, paddlers, and anglers can access sections of the Canal system for recreational use today. Mariners are advised that some sections of the Canal system will have reduced water levels until such time as the Canal Corporation completes its projects. In addition, navigation aids are not currently in place, but will be installed on the Canal system as the regions open.

All users of the Canal system and adjacent Empire State Trail are encouraged to practice social distancing while using boat launches, trails and other public resources.

The Canal Corporation appreciates the public’s patience during this time and urges all users to register to receive updates through the “Notice to Mariners” notification program

at www.canals.ny.gov.

New Local History Book – Fort Plain, Fork Plank, Fort Rensselaer: The Revolutionary War Forts of Canajohary

Posted on May 13, 2020

The Fort Plain Museum recently published a new local history book, Fort Plain, Fork Plank, Fort Rensselaer: The Revolutionary War Forts of Canajohary by Wayne Lenig. Lenig is a Fellow of the New York State Archaeological Association, vice-president of the Van Epps-Hartley Chapter NYSAA, archaeological curator and vice-chairman of the Fort Plain Museum Board of Trustees, and Research Associate in Archaeology at the New York State Museum.

A great deal of confusion has developed regarding the historical identities of Fort Plain, Fort Plank and Fort Rensselaer. This book reviews and analyzes the published secondary sources in chronological order to gain an understanding of when and how misconceptions developed. Following that review are chapters on the archaeology and historical research from primary sources, placing the final four years of the Revolutionary War on the New York frontiers into the broad fabric of contemporary events. A fourth chapter reviews the evidence for an earlier Colonial Anglo-American fort on the site of Fort Plain. This is the most comprehensive study of the most important American outpost during the final four years of the War for Independence.

The book is 8.5 by 11 with over 260 glossy pages with color images and maps. To order the book, please visit the museum’s online book store at https://fortplainmuseum.square.site/ or email info@fortplainmuseum.org. 100% of the book proceeds go to the museum for exhibits and education programming.

Local Woman Plans ‘Feed the Truckers’ Event For April 27

Posted on April 22, 2020

St. Johnsville resident and retired teacher Phoebe Sitterly is using her “great appreciation” for truck drivers, and their dedication to serve, as the inspiration for an event to thank them with a bagged lunch, planned for Monday, April 27 in Fultonville.

The truck drivers event will begin at 11 a.m., and feature a boxed lunch for drivers passing through Nationwide Transportation Brokers, just off the Thruway, Exit 28, at 58 Riverside Drive in Fultonville.

Sitterly and a team of volunteers will welcome any truck driver to stop on the 27th for lunch. The NYS Truckers Association will help get the word out with advertising and posts.

A flyer soliciting donations for the event explained, “Truck drivers are heroes in this troubling time — keeping our stores stocked with items we all need more than ever. Some businesses do not want to let them in their facilities to use restrooms, and truck stops are starting to close down their showers.”

Sitterly is not new to taking action on behalf of others in the community. She said that during her career in education as a social studies teacher, she helped students and their families for many years.

Despite some hesitation by a few individuals during the planning phases of the event, Sitterly pushed forward and did not give up. “At points I was getting a bit discouraged with some people questioning like it was too much to accomplish,” she said. “Last Wednesday I took the whole day to go out personally and seek donations from all obvious places in Fulton and Montgomery County. I received mixed reactions.”

But then the outpouring of support began. She said, “Price Chopper in Gloversville was my first success. The manager recognized me and agreed to give chips and fruit, and she called the Palatine store to tell them to do the same! I visited all of the Subways, and Subway of Amsterdam (located inside of Amsterdam Walmart) called and they are donating all 200 subs! I am over the moon with joy.”

These successes started the ball rolling, and now everything is falling into place. Sitterly found partnerships in CG Roxanne LLC in Johnstown, that is donating Crystal Geyser bottled water for the event, the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Tourism Department, that is donating lunch bags for the truckers and Nationwide Transportation Brokers for hosting and donating the space for Monday.

Fulton and Montgomery County Director of Tourism Development Anne Boles said, “Phoebe has done an amazing job gathering resources and donations to help make our truckers feel appreciated. Along with recreational visitors to our counties, truckers spend money daily at our local truck stops. Local residents are beneficiaries of the sales tax revenue they leave behind. During this unprecedented time, we want them to know that they are welcome and we are grateful that they are still on the job every day for our benefit.”

Sitterly said candy bars will be donated from Stewarts Shops, and pieces of fruit were donated from Hannaford in Gloversville. Walmart in Gloversville and Herkimer will offer gift cards and Beech Nut will donate snack bars.

There have also been many cash donations, which have been greatly appreciated, Sitterly stated. She plans to use those funds to create additional events for other essential employees. She is working with restaurants in the area to plan a hot meal or similar event to show appreciation to those in the community who are continuing to serve others.

She said she offers many thanks to Nationwide Transportation for hosting the event, St. John’s Reformed Church in St. Johnsville, and the volunteers that will be helping on Monday.

Sitterly shared her thoughts giving her personal energy to others with a quote by Zoroaster: “Doing good to others is not a duty, it is a joy, for it increases our own health and happiness”

To volunteer for the truckers appreciation event, or to donate, contact Sitterly at (518) 844-9607.

Order Takeout! Win Prizes! From Now until May 31st!!

Posted on April 3, 2020

Order Takeout! Win Prizes!

Play Bingo with the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce, and our restaurants that are open during this time. Visit any of our Fulton/Montgomery County restaurants, and when you get a BINGO, take a photo of your card and your receipts —and email it to tourism@fultonmontgomeryny.org, or Private Message our Facebook page.

At the end of this contest we will draw 5 winners, and if chosen, you will receive a $20 chamber check. If you send in a card with all the squares completed, then you are in a drawing for a $100.00 chamber check!

CLICK HERE for the BINGO card. Take a picture of the bingo card with your smartphone and send in your receipts. Use the edit photo feature in the camera app to “X” out a square. A single takeout can be used for multiple squares if applicable. Good luck and please email tourism@fultonmontgomeryny<wbr />.org with any questions!

Thank you for your continuous support of our businesses!

History of Beer in New York State

Posted on August 23, 2019

History of Beer in New York State

On August 27 at 6:30 pm Historian Craig Gravina will be speaking at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site about the history of beer brewing in New York State. The talk will take place in the Enders House adjacent to the Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center at 129 Schoharie Street. The Friends of Schoharie Crossing will have a very brief meeting before the talk, and refreshments will be served following the presentation. All are welcome to attend.

As Craig Gravina says he is a ‘”world class beer drinker, so infatuated with the stuff that he took to researching and writing about over the last ten years”. He will talk about the history of the brewing industry in the Hudson Valley and include its close connection with the Mohawk Valley including the Erie Canal and grain production in the valley and as well as other interesting personalities and events. He will also be doing a book signing of his book Upper Hudson Valley Beer.

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.

5th Annual Putman Porch Music Series at Schoharie Crossing

Posted on May 21, 2019

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site has announced the return of the Putman Porch Music series for its fifth year starting on Thursday, June 6th 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.

For information about this event or what is available at Schoharie Crossing, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516 or email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov. Find and like us on Facebook. For more information about New York State Parks, visit the website at www.nysparks.com.

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