Opened in 1841 to carry canal boats over the Schoharie Creek, Schoharie Aqueduct was one of the major aqueducts of the enlarged Erie Canal. This impressive structure is a centerpiece of the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter. But years of deterioration threaten the stability of the aqueduct and only six of its original 14 stone arches remain.
Erie Canalway Heritage Area recently engaged the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), a program of the National Park Service, to document existing conditions as part of a larger effort to preserve the aqueduct. The HAER team surveyed every stone and mortar joint using laser and total-station scanners and a digital large-format camera.
This detailed graphic documentation will be an important resource for engineers working with NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, the Preservation League of NYS, Friends of Schoharie Crossing, the Canal Society of NYS, Erie Canalway Heritage Area, and others working to stabilize and preserve this National Historic Landmark.
This year’s imaging and documentation will be transmitted to the Library of Congress upon project completion. You can view photos and drawings from HAER’s 1969 survey of the aqueduct at the Library of Congress here.
Photo of Schoharie Aqueduct provided.
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