As the National Park Service embarks on its second century, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in New York is celebrating the accomplishments of its centennial celebration.
Erie Canalway NHC programs and visitor information helped thousands of visitors, students, and residents find their way to New York’s legendary canals, Erie Canalway Trail, historic sites, and canal communities in 2016.
– EveryKid in a Park – More than 8,600 students took free field trips to 13 historic canal sites and four national parks in the Erie Canalway thanks to innovative partnerships and funding spearheaded by Erie Canalway NHC. Students stood on the battlegrounds of the American Revolution, witnessed the place where women’s rights were first declared, and saw firsthand the innovation and grit that built the Erie Canal.
– Find Your Park – Erie Canalway NHC produced five themed itineraries, released a new website, and gave out 100,000 Erie Canalway visitor guides and site directories in 2016 to help people find their way to great canal experiences.
– Canal Events and Celebrations – Erie Canalway NHC partnered with the NYS Canal Corporation to sponsor 25 community events and cross-corridor tours. This sponsorship was augmented by contributions from local businesses, nonprofits, villages and towns, along with an army of volunteers who invested over $730,000 in their communities for these events. Canal-related festivals and events drew more than half-million people to the canal corridor to discover great places, regional foods and beverages, and fun experiences along the waterway.
– National Historic Landmark nomination – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation, spearheaded nomination of the NYS Canal System as a National Historic Landmark in 2016. Final review by the Secretary of the Interior is underway and a determination is anticipated early in 2017.
– Economic Impact – An economic impact study of the Erie Canalway conducted by Tripp Umbach and released in 2016 found that the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor generates $307.7 million in economic impact, supports 3,240 jobs, and generates $34.9 million in tax revenues.
Across the country, centennial programs resulted in a significant level of public interest and social media engagement with the National Park Service and National Park Foundation. The NPS, NPF, and partners nationwide reached hundreds of millions of people with the centennial’s Find Your Park message, and engaged the public in the NPS stewardship mission.
More information about the success and long term legacy of the NPS Centennial is available online here.
For more information on the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, click here.
For more information on the National Park Service, visit their website.
Photos: Cyclists on the Erie Canalway Trail near Bushnell’s Basin, and boat exits Lock 2 on the Erie Canal in Waterford, courtesy Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
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