Canadian singer/songwriter Stephen Bruce Medd performs ballads and original folk songs inspired by the history and landscapes of Ontario, the Bay of Quinte & Kingston – the region settled by displaced Loyalists and Haudenosaunee from the Mohawk Valley. Enjoy a summer evening of music on the lawn of Old Fort Johnson. Held indoors in case of rain.
Tag: Path Through History
Events
Erie Canalway IMPACT! Grants Support Education and Tourism along the Erie Canal
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation, is pleased to announce that seven organizations have been selected to receive Erie Canalway IMPACT! Grants totaling $64,323. Funded projects include vital work to showcase canal heritage and welcome people to explore the canal in their local communities.
“We are thrilled to support these community-driven projects to strengthen the Canalway Corridor as a vibrant place to live, work, visit, and play,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “These exciting projects will foster greater awareness and pride in New York’s canals that will have lasting benefits for residents and visitors.”
The grants range from $2,000 to $12,000 and will leverage an additional $161,107 in private and public project support. Over the past 13 years, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has made 90 grants to communities and non-profit organizations that have spurred $2.4 million in additional investments in heritage preservation, recreation, and education.
New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “It is an honor to join with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in supporting education, recreation, and tourism along New York’s canal system. The history of our canals provides the framework for our State’s great legacy, and we look forward to supporting and enhancing awareness of these storied waterways for years to come through these IMPACT! Grant projects.”
2020 ERIE CANALWAY IMPACT! GRANTS
Corn Hill Navigation, Pittsford
Award: $8,954
Improve educational and program delivery with new technology at a new visitor center being developed at Corn Hill Landing in Rochester.
Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse
Award: $9,015
Develop programming related to the Empire State Trail including a Syracuse-based Trail Ambassador Program and trail amenities that raise user awareness of the museum. Pilot both weekend and Corridor-wide trail rides.
Explore & More: The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum, Buffalo
Award: $11,454
Design and present an Erie Canal themed educational play experience every Wednesday throughout 2022 that will engage children and families.
Friends of Stewart Park, Ithaca
Award: $5,900
Design and install five outdoor interpretive signs that showcase the history of the Erie Canal and Cayuga Lake as they relate to the City of Ithaca.
National Abolition Hall of Fame, Peterboro
Award: $12,000
Design and install two outdoor interpretive signs within the Village of Canastota to raise awareness of the National Abolition Hall. Funds will also support a reenactment of a dramatic event that shaped the abolition movement in the United States.
Schoharie River Center, Esperance
Award: $12,000
Implement a series of educational programs with at-risk urban and rural youth to investigate water quality on the Erie Canal/Mohawk River and adjacent tributaries.
Village of Brockport, Brockport
Award: $5,000
Design and install a pair of outdoor interpretive signs that celebrate the history, design, and operation of the Village’s iconic lift bridges.
ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR
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. 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
George Washington Birthday Celebration Free Virtual Events
The Fort Plain Museum & Historical Park is proud to present a George Washington’s Birthday celebration with three FREE Virtual Events by three Distinguished Historians on three Nights. Please note the dates and start times. These events are made possible through an Anonymous Donor.
- Edward G. Lengel – George Washington and the Nemesis of War – Monday, February 22, 2021 – 6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
- Mary V. Thompson – “The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret”: George Washington, Slavery, and the Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon – Thursday, February 25, 2021 – 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
- James Kirby Martin – Remembering George Washington: In Context – Monday, March 1, 2021 – 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
To register, please visit: https://fortplainmuseum.org/ or contact the museum at info@fortplainmuseum.org – if you are interested in purchasing speaker books, please visit: https://fortplainmuseum.square.site/ – thank you for your support!
TravelStorys Give Visitors and Residents a New Interactive Way to Experience Montgomery County
TravelStorys App provides free GPS guided tours that share the stories of Montgomery County
The Montgomery County Tourism department of the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce (opens in a new tab) , in partnership with economic development and the Department of History and Archives (opens in a new tab) , announce new TravelStorys audio tour (opens in a new tab) that allows listeners to hear the historic stories of Montgomery County while traveling the Erie Canalway Trail (opens in a new tab) throughout the county.
The Cycling the Erie Canal: A Path Through History audio tour is available through the free TravelStorys app (available for download on smartphones). TravelStorys brings the little-known stories about the land to life, and by using GPS technology, stories on the tours automatically play as listeners pass through each site.
The Cycling the Erie Canal tour follows the scenic Erie Canalway Trail/Empire State Trail from St. Johnsville to Amsterdam (in either direction). As cyclists travel the trail, they’re serenaded with stories of the history (opens in a new tab) , landscape, culture (opens in a new tab) , and attractions (opens in a new tab) of Montgomery County. Narrated by Bob Cudmore, the historic stories were compiled and edited by Montgomery County Historian, Kelly Yacobucci Farquhar. The 35 stories tell about Montgomery County’s past and how they shaped the future – spanning from native (opens in a new tab) and colonial (opens in a new tab) times through the Revolutionary War (opens in a new tab) to the Underground Railroad (opens in a new tab) and the Industrial Revolution (opens in a new tab) to present day. The stories tell about nature, transportation, industry, and the people that helped form Montgomery County.
While the Cycling the Erie Canal stories are timed for cyclists, pedestrians utilizing the trail can enjoy the stories as well. Once the app is downloaded, each story will automatically play after entering the story’s radius. Each story is told in a manner that traveling the trail from east to west or west to east will not affect the storytelling experience.
The Montgomery County TravelStorys Audio Tour invites visitors to interact with the region in a deeper way, and to experience the Erie Canalway Trail in a new way. To download TravelStorys and take the tour, visit Google Play (opens in a new tab) or the Apple Store (opens in a new tab) .
Funding for the Cycling the Erie Canal: A Path Through History audio tour was made possible by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (opens in a new tab) and Montgomery County’s I LOVE NY (opens in a new tab) matching funds program.
American Revolution Mohawk Valley Conference
The Fort Plain Museum’s
5th Annual American Revolution Mohawk Valley Conference
June 6-9, 2019
The American Revolution Mohawk Valley Conference celebrates its 5th year with more speakers and an early sign-up special. Pre-registration is required. The early sign-up special is $10 off if you sign-up by May 7, 2019. Please Click Here for Conference Registration/Information (opens in a new tab) .
There is a great line-up of 12 notable historian/authors presenting on a wide variety of topics related to the American Revolution.
Presenting this year:
David L. Preston – First in Peace: The Delaware Indian Nation and its 1778 Treaty with the United States
Eric H. Schnitzer – Benedict Arnold at Saratoga: How a Newly Discovered Letter Changed History
Mark Edward Lender – The Plot against General Washington: The Conway Cabal Reconsidered
James Kirby Martin – The Man Who Wouldn’t Be King: George Washington, an Exceptional Revolutionary Leader
Holly A. Mayer – Women at War: Continental Army Followers
John Buchanan – The Road to Charleston: How Major General Nathanael Greene Dealt with Logistics, Savage Civil War, and Politics in the Carolina’s and Georgia
Bruce M. Venter – Defending the Mohawk Valley: Forts and Homes Illustrated by Rufus Grider’s Art Work
Glenn F. Williams – Beyond the Mohawk: the Battles of Newtown and Groveland (240th Anniversary)
Albert Louis Zambone – The Rewards of Persistence: Daniel Morgan in the Saratoga Campaign
Tony Williams – George Washington & Alexander Hamilton: A Revolutionary Relationship
Christian Di Spigna – Founding Martyr: The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, the American Revolution’s Lost Hero
Douglas J. Pippin – The American Revolution in the St. Lawrence Valley
Also welcoming back the voice of the Mohawk Valley, Bob Cudmore, who will serve as Master of Ceremony.
Genealogy Day – Friday, June 7
Visit Mohawk Country historic sites (sites, schedules and admission fees will be posted separately). Sites will have presentations or historians on hand to discuss the families that fought on both sides during the American Revolution.
An Incident at Caughnawaga – Fundraising Dinner – Saturday, June 8
Join Mohawk Valley Historian, Norm Bollen as he describes the “Incident at Caughnawga” that ignited the Revolution in the Mohawk Valley in 1775. This incident includes neighbor against neighbor, an angry mob and a loyalist sheriff shooting at the rebels. The dinner includes a choice of one of three entrees with sides, salad and dessert. There will also be a Cocktail Hour with cash bar.
A few seats are open for each of the bus tours, call 518-774-5669 for details.
Fall Foliage Report: October 10-16
I LOVE NY started the “New York Fall Foliage Report (opens in a new tab) ” on September 12 and will continue until the end of the foliage season, around the first or second week in November. Montgomery County has started its own annual report this year as well.
Reporting station: Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site (opens in a new tab) , Fort Hunter
Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 30%
Brilliance: Average
Predominating colors: Still green with more red, orange, yellow coming out
Rating: Midpoint
This week has more color coming through with yellows and oranges and some reads. It would be a great time to take a ride and see the fall foliage. There are also many events happening on Saturday throughout the county!
The Village of Ames Museum (opens in a new tab) will be open 9am to 3pm.
Celebrate the fall harvest and take advantage of your last chance of the season to visit Old Fort Johnson (opens in a new tab) and the 1918 exhibit. This open house features outdoor baking, fresh apple cider pressing and other family activities. Free admission all day, donations are always welcome. The event is 10am-4pm.
From 11am-4pm, the Glen Conservancy (opens in a new tab) and the 77th NY Regimental Balladeers will host Harvest Fest (opens in a new tab) in the hamlet of Glen. Events will take place in and around Conservancy Hall and will include activities at the Glen Cottage Farms, and at the Rustic Red House at the Glen Country Store at the confluence of Routes 30A and 161. Music, face painting, pumpkin painting, flower arranging, and more.
The Palatine Settlement Society invites the public to the annual “Afternoon at the Tavern (opens in a new tab) .” This event is scheduled for Saturday from 1–4pm, and will be held at the historic 1747 Nellis Tavern in St. Johnsville.
There will be a variety of beer and cider provided by Wolf Hollow and Rogers Cidery. Soup and bread will also be served. Tickets, available in advance, are $15 per person with a limited number of tickets available at the door.
Explore our countryside, enjoy our events (opens in a new tab) , and take in the autumn season!
Call for Travel Guides and Specialty Maps!
1.800.743.7337
Canal Days at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
Schoharie Crossing (opens in a new tab) will host the annual Canal Days Festival on July 14 & 15 from 11am – 4pm both Saturday and 
Sunday. This event is a free community festival celebrating the Erie Canal and the character of the people and towns along the way. This event is part of the continuing celebration of the Erie Canal Bicentennial. The Erie Canal was started in 1817 and completed in 1825.
This year’s festival will feature a participatory balloon art installation by Airigami. This company has been creating unique and stunning art displays which have been showcased around the world. As part of the Canal Days festivities, they will be supervising the creation of a large Erie Canal packet boat mural out of environmentally friendly balloons.
Canal Days will offer a variety of other attractions including wagon rides, the Utica Zoomobile, horse shoeing demonstrations, Tri County Old Time Engine display, games, food vendors, Down By the River Kayak (opens in a new tab) demos, a Canalway trail guided bicycle ride with the Adirondack Velo Club on Saturday at 1pm, and The Dudley Observatory will have a solar telescope to safely view the sun on Sunday. Various community organizations will be participating including the Montgomery Sheriff’s Department, the Mohawk River Basin Program, Capital Mohawk PRISM and the New York State Archeology Association. Sean The Prankster will perform magic at 1:30 on both Saturday and Sunday. The New York State Canal Corporation (opens in a new tab) will bring their popular working model of an Erie Canal lock as well as an actual Erie Canal tug boat.
On Saturday, the nationally known modern country band, Tompkins Drive will have two performances. In addition, The Friends of Schoharie Crossing will host a chicken barbeque. Also on Saturday will be the official opening of the 2018 art show which features paintings inspired by recreation among the built and natural environments at Schoharie Crossing.
On Sunday, the program will feature the music of the Jump Daddies swing band. There will also be a Rat Pack Cruzers Car show with prizes for best of show.
We are grateful to our many generous partners and sponsors. These include the NYS Canal Corporation, the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor, Price Chopper, Alpin Haus, WEXT 97.7, Judith-Ann Realty, the Wine Barrell, Bourbon Street Wine and Liquor Warehouse, Arlene’s Artist Materials, Olde Brick House Café, Mary Jane’s Market and the 518 Grill.
For more information about Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site and our events, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, visit the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Facebook page (opens in a new tab) , or email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov (opens in a new tab) .
Poetry Songs and History Songs at Schoharie Crossing
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site (opens in a new tab) will host musicians Cosby Gibson and Tom Staudle as they present: “Poetry Songs and History Songs” on Sunday, June 3rd at 4:00pm. This inspiring musical performance brings together the words of famous poets and original tunes by Tom Staudle such as Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, Andy Rooney, and more. Gibson’s History Song series portrays the life of the American Settlers during the Revolution in upstate New York through her original songs.
Cosby and Tom are regional musicians who focus on songwriting in acoustic and blues-style. Their new albums are both winners in the Capital District Original Music Awards, 2018, for Best Folk Album, and Best Folk Lyrics respectively.
“With guitar, violin, banjo, harmonica, and ukulele, these high-spirited independent artists present heartfelt original acoustic folk and blues.” ~ Folk Times
“Cosby and Tom are regional musicians who focus on songwriting in acoustic and blues-style, and tour in the northeast and beyond. Their new albums are both winners in the Capital District Original Music Awards, 2018, for Best Folk Album, and Best Folk Lyrics respectively.”
This event is free and perfect for families.
For information about this event or more, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516 or email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov (opens in a new tab) . For more information about New York State Parks, visit the website at www.nysparks.com (opens in a new tab) .
Putman Porch Music Series
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.
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 (opens in a new tab) . Find and like us on Facebook (opens in a new tab) . For more information about New York State Parks, visit the website at www.nysparks.com (opens in a new tab) .
Call for Paintings Extended
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site (opens in a new tab) is extending the deadline for submissions for paintings to be included in the 2018 art show. Painters residing in New York State who want to showcase their work in a competitive, juried exhibition are encouraged to read the show description and submit original work in the theme of Lock in the Fun: Recreation at Schoharie Crossing. The deadline is now May 25th.
To recognize the centennial of the NYS Barge Canal, Schoharie Crossing is hosting this second annual exhibition of talented artists. This year the focus will be on paintings only. Jurors have accepted the task of reviewing the artwork and prizes will be awarded to those honored by the jurors.
The Erie Canal historic site and NYS Park is a great place for recreation such as walking, cycling, kayaking, fishing, birdwatching, picnics, and more; providing memories & experiences for generations. The site supplies great views of nature as well and the historic canal structures are juxtaposed among the natural world of plants and animals along the Schoharie Creek and Mohawk River. The trails along old towpaths of the canal allow for a journey back in time. Flora and fauna thrive within the tranquility of the waterways, wetlands and open spaces of Schoharie Crossing, lending great inspiration for any artist.
The Erie Canal’s vital importance is highlighted by the classic arches of the Schoharie Creek Aqueduct and the impressive lock chambers that still exist at locations throughout Schoharie Crossing. Views of the Mohawk and Schoharie Valleys can also be taken in as you explore this landscape.
Schoharie Crossing encompasses over two hundred acres and spans over three miles in length. From the western end of the site at the Aqueduct boat launch, across the Schoharie Creek and east to Yankee Hill Lock and the Putman Canal Store. The site contains portions of the original 1820’s Erie Canal as well as features two sets of double locks from the Enlarged Era Canal and is adjacent to the Erie Canal of today; the Mohawk River. Lock E12 at Tribes Hill on the river is situated close to the site and provides access to witnessing the newest century old canal of today.
All along the site there is ample opportunity to explore your artistic skills, from photography, painting, and even sketches. Discover more on the Schoharie Crossing Facebook page or on the Friends of Schoharie Crossing Instagram and Twitter.
Submissions can be made online (https://goo.gl/forms/4PjuP5kRW6ZF4wuy2 (opens in a new tab) ). The exhibit’s opening celebration will take place during the Schoharie Crossing Canal Days festivities, July 14th and 15th, 2018, and artwork will be displayed through August. For more information on how to enter, please visit the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site page (opens in a new tab) of the New York State Parks website, nysparks.com, call Schoharie Crossing at (518) 829-7516, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov (opens in a new tab) or find us on Facebook (opens in a new tab) .