New York State has always been a gateway for immigrants, but the Erie Canal carried more westbound immigrants than any other trans-Appalachian canal. These new Americans brought different languages, customs, practices, and religions. [Read more…] about Martin’s Journey, Erie Canal at the Seneca River, 1848
Montezuma
Drilling For Salt: Salt Springs & New York’s Salt Industry Origins
As the presence of salt in New York was first made manifest through saline mineral springs it is proper to begin this discussion with the history of their discovery and utilization. The most important of these are in Onondaga County at Syracuse.
About the middle of the seventeenth century several of the Jesuit missionaries during their journeys among the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), in what is now the State of New York, heard local salt springs and related these experiences in the Relations of the Jesuit fathers. [Read more…] about Drilling For Salt: Salt Springs & New York’s Salt Industry Origins
200 Years of Erie Canal History (1825-2025)
In 2025, New York State commemorates the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo. This event was transformative for both the state and the nation, linking the Great Lakes with the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean in an unprecedentedly efficient waterway.
During the bicentennial, we are offered an opportunity to reflect on two centuries of rich and complex history and discover how that period’s impacts allow us to explore and enjoy the Canal today. Here is some history, and tips for enjoying the canal. [Read more…] about 200 Years of Erie Canal History (1825-2025)
Conservation Officers Kept Busy Ticketing More Than A Dozen Poachers
New York State Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) have been very busy dealing with more than a dozen wildlife poachers across New York State, including hunters illegally taking whitetail deer, songbirds and numerous varieties of fish. [Read more…] about Conservation Officers Kept Busy Ticketing More Than A Dozen Poachers