The hamlet of Fort Hunter in Montgomery County, NY, while small, has been historically significant even since before the American Revolution. It was home to people of the Mohawk Nation and was known as the Lower Castle being downstream or below Canajoharie on the Mohawk River. Being at the confluence of the Schoharie Creek and river it was always an important trade post for goods, food, and cultures. [Read more…] about Historic Fort Hunter: From Queen Anne’s War to the Erie Canal
Fort Hunter
Palatines in the Mohawk Valley: 300 Years of History
The earliest European settlers in the Mohawk Valley came from what is now southwestern Germany. Under near constant threat of destruction, whether from multiple wars, invasions, or the plague, in the near hundred years leading up to the 18th century, the southwest German population experienced extreme hardship.
In some cases, entire towns and villages were wiped out. Commercial crops in the vineyards either failed or were destroyed. Invading French armies added to the hardship by burdening residents with housing and supporting soldiers, albeit with scant family resources, forcing many German homeowners to flee. [Read more…] about Palatines in the Mohawk Valley: 300 Years of History
Crossing Schoharie Creek: Erie Canal Stories from David Brooks (Podcast)
This week on The Historians Podcast, David Brooks of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, NY, explains how Erie Canal boats were able to cross the fast-flowing Schoharie Creek. [Read more…] about Crossing Schoharie Creek: Erie Canal Stories from David Brooks (Podcast)
Schoharie Crossing Offers Online Programs
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. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing Offers Online Programs
A Visit To Schoharie Crossing (Liz Covart Podacst)
A “little short of madness.” That is how Thomas Jefferson responded when two delegates from New York approached him with the idea to build the Erie Canal in January 1809.
Jefferson’s comment did not discourage New Yorkers. On January 4, 1817, New York State began building a 363-mile long canal to link the Hudson River and Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes and the Midwest. [Read more…] about A Visit To Schoharie Crossing (Liz Covart Podacst)
Steps Taken to Preserve Schoharie Aqueduct
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. [Read more…] about Steps Taken to Preserve Schoharie Aqueduct
Schoharie Crossing Historic Site Opening May 1st
The Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Visitor Center in Fort Hunter, NY, is set to re-open for the 2019 season on Wednesday, May 1st at 10 am.
Visitors can witness the engineering marvel of the Erie Canal and check out the “Pathway to Empire” exhibit as well as artifacts from the colonial Fort Hunter and the Lower Castle Mohawk Village. Schoharie Crossing is a good place to witness Erie Canal history and enjoy a day walking the towpath trails, kayaking the creek, cycling the Canalway trail, or just enjoying a picnic and time with family and friends. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing Historic Site Opening May 1st
Barge Canal Hydrology Presentation at Schoharie Crossing
The Friends of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site is set to welcome NYS Canal Corporation Section Supervisor David Lamphere on Tuesday, April 23rd.
Lamphere will cover how Canal Corp regulates water levels by use of moveable dams, as well as other topics of hydrology and pertaining to operations of the over 100 year old Barge Canal. [Read more…] about Barge Canal Hydrology Presentation at Schoharie Crossing
Erie Canal History Talk At Schoharie Crossing
Frank Taormina, retired social studies teacher and lecturer at Union College will be giving a talk on the history of the Erie Canal. The contemporary Erie Canal has been much in the news lately. The Erie Canal played a significant role in the history of New York and the nation and helped make the “Empire State”.
The original Erie Canal ran about 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo (the Hudson River to Lake Erie) creating a water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal helped the City of New York eclipse Philadelphia as North America’s largest city and port. [Read more…] about Erie Canal History Talk At Schoharie Crossing
Marquis de Lafayette’s Visit To Fort Hunter
If you visit Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, you will be following in the footsteps of Marquis de Lafayette, who visited by canal boat in 1825.
A French aristocrat, Lafayette fought with George Washington’s army during the American Revolution. At some point while in America the Frenchman visited Johnstown and was entertained by the families of Jacob and Thomas Sammons, who leased the former Johnson Hall for four years after the Loyalist Johnson family fled to Canada. Lafayette played a key role in the British defeat at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781. [Read more…] about Marquis de Lafayette’s Visit To Fort Hunter