of the Erie Canal
Photo courtesy of Fairport Canal Days
Fairport Canal Days, June 2-4 in Fairport, is one of the most popular arts festivals in New York State, attracting nearly a quarter million visitors annually. More than 200 vendors display their crafts and wares against a backdrop of good food, great music and family fun. fairportcanaldays. com
Photos courtesy of Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, www. eriecanalway. org
The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, housed in the 1850 Syracuse Weighlock Building-- the only structure of its kind in the world-- features a full-size canal boat, hand-on-interactive exhibits, vignettes about life along the canal, a special exhibits gallery and the outdoor Locktender’ s Garden. eriecanalmuseum. org
Historic Palmyra, once known as the“ Queen of Erie Canal towns” is now known for its complex of five museums, including an authentic canal-era general store and the largest collection of American hand woven coverlets— that illuminate life in early canal days and for its historic“ ghost walks.” historicpalmyrany. com
Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum is the only recovered historic dry dock in New York State along the Erie Canal with recreated historical buildings, demonstrations and other programming meant to preserve and interpret boat building and repair history, as well as the social and industrial history of the Erie Canal era. chittenangolanding. com
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site( Fort Hunter) is the only remaining site with visible remnants of all three eras of Erie Canal development, including a two-mile long segment of the original Old“ Clinton’ s Ditch” Erie Canal, an Old Erie Canal guard lock, the original Old Erie Canal“ Empire” Lock No. 20 and the locks from the enlarged Erie Canal. It is an excellent starting point from which to kayak the Schoharie Creek and Mohawk River, hike the Towpath Trails or enjoy a ride on the Erie Canalway Bicycle Trail. parks. ny. gov / historic-sites / 27 / details. aspx
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