New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Schoharie Crossing SHS

200 Years of Erie Canal History (1825-2025)

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Erie Canal in 1829In 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)

Immigration on the Erie Canal

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an Erie Canal packet boat, possibly, as was often the case overcrowded with immigrantsNew York State was a gateway for many immigrants, from the colonial era to today and the Erie Canal carried more westbound immigrants than any other trans-Appalachian canal. These newcomers infused the nation with different languages, customs, practices, and religions. [Read more…] about Immigration on the Erie Canal

Queens of Quackery: Woman Proprietors of Patent Medicines

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Patent Medicines (photo by John Warren)The term “patent medicines” came to describe all pre-packaged medicines sold “over-the-counter” without a doctor’s prescription. In the United States very few preparations were ever actually patented, but they were wildly popular. [Read more…] about Queens of Quackery: Woman Proprietors of Patent Medicines

When Travel Stopped: The 1872 Equine Influenza Epizootic

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Horses haul a canal boat under a low bridge on the Erie Canal at Vischer Ferry in Clifton ParkIn 1872, the economy of North America was threatened by an epizootic (animal epidemic) of equine influenza (horse flu), known as “The Great Epizootic of 1872.” The outbreak is believed to have been the most destructive recorded episode of equine influenza in history.

The virus was highly contagious among horses, spread mainly through droplets made when the animal coughs or sneezes. [Read more…] about When Travel Stopped: The 1872 Equine Influenza Epizootic

The New York 115th Volunteers in the Civil War

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veterans of the 115th new york infantry regiment meeting at Mayfield in 1888 (Library of Congress)This week on the Historians Podcast, David Brooks provides an insightful look at the 115th New York Volunteer Regiment in the Civil War. [Read more…] about The New York 115th Volunteers in the Civil War

The Mohawk River’s Eagle Trail: Fort Hunter to Amsterdam

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Eagle Trail along the Mohawk RiverThe Eagle Trail is a project of the Friends of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, in Montgomery County, NY.

Originally served for the transportation of heavy machinery and equipment for Lock 11 repairs, the Eagle Trail begins at the east end of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site at the Yankee Hill Lock and proceeds to the southside of the city of Amsterdam, a distance of about three miles. [Read more…] about The Mohawk River’s Eagle Trail: Fort Hunter to Amsterdam

Through the Mire: Erie Canal Environmental History

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The Erie Canal at LockportFor centuries, humans had been interacting with the geology and environment of Upstate New York, but when construction of the Erie Canal commenced in 1817, the vastness of the project and the environment that it would cut through became its largest obstacle. [Read more…] about Through the Mire: Erie Canal Environmental History

Women at Seneca Knitting Mill in Seneca Falls

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Seneca Knitting Mills in August 2009 (courtesy wikimedia user Doug Kerr)Since its construction in 1844 the Seneca Knitting Mill has always been a prominent landmark in the Seneca Falls community in Seneca County, New York. Throughout the history of the Mill, it has been a place of employment, advancement, and change, especially for the many women who worked there. [Read more…] about Women at Seneca Knitting Mill in Seneca Falls

A Schoharie Crossing Aqueduct Project Update

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work at Schoharie Crossing aqueductWorkers are shoring up the remains of the aqueduct at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, Montgomery County, NY.

With the water in the Erie Canal drawn down for the winter, the project is well into the construction phase. Workers are creating a large concrete wedge at the end of the piers and arches to act as a brace, so the arches won’t shift. Protections are being added around the base to prevent problems as the water rises in the spring. [Read more…] about A Schoharie Crossing Aqueduct Project Update

The Button Fire Engine Company of Waterford: Some History

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Side-Stroke Fire Engine, 1872, L Button & Sons, Waterford NY - Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield HistoryFor much of the 19th and 20th centuries, New York State was a leader in fire engine and apparatus manufacturing. One of the main players in that industry was Lysander Button of Waterford, NY.

Starting around 1831, Button worked his way up the ladder from mechanic turned inventor to owner of the firm that would eventually take his name, the Button Fire Engine Company. [Read more…] about The Button Fire Engine Company of Waterford: Some History

30th Annual ‘Not Just for Kids’ Storytelling Series at Schoharie Crossing

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schoharie crossing state historic siteThe Friends of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site have announced that the 30th Annual Not Just for Kids Storytelling series will occur at the Erie Canal historic site.

Award winning storytellers from the region will perform tales to intrigue, legends to compel, and stories that illustrate how we are all connected as human beings. The series is open to the public and is meant for all ages. It runs on Sunday evenings at 6 pm from July 31st to August 28th outside the Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center. [Read more…] about 30th Annual ‘Not Just for Kids’ Storytelling Series at Schoharie Crossing

Historic Fort Hunter: From Queen Anne’s War to the Erie Canal

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map of Fort Hunter courtesy NYS ArchivesThe 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

Tom Kilboy: Balladeer of the Erie Canal

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The Historians LogoThis week on The Historians Podcast, David Brooks, education director at Schoharie Crossing State Historic site in Fort Hunter, takes a look at life on the wild side of the Erie Canal with tales about the Kilboys, including balladeer Tom Kilboy. [Read more…] about Tom Kilboy: Balladeer of the Erie Canal

Schoharie Crossing Great Outdoors Month Events

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Putman Porch Music at Yankee Hill Lock courtesy Halldor SigurdssonSchoharie Crossing State Historic Site will celebrate June as Great Outdoors Month by offering opportunities to enjoy the outdoor spaces at the Erie Canal site.

Great Outdoors Month is a month-long celebration of responsible, healthy outdoor recreation on local, state, and federal lands and waters. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing Great Outdoors Month Events

Child Labor on the D&H Canal (Virtual Program)

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The canal boat Little Freddie at the entrance to Roebling's Delaware AqueductThe Delaware & Hudson Canal Company was one of many 19th-century industrial enterprises that relied on the labor of marginalized peoples – immigrants, people of color, women, and children – to operate.

According to National Park Service, “Life on a canal boat was a ‘family business.’ Wives and children worked 15-to-20-hour days along-side boatmen, eking out a meager existence with ‘the company.’ The D&H Canal affected life throughout the region. New towns and industries (boat builders, glass works, foundries) sprang up along the canal. Previous industries — lumber mills, paper mills, tanneries, stone quarries — prospered with improved transportation. Others, like the Rosendale natural cement industry, took advantage of the proximity of the D & H Canal.” [Read more…] about Child Labor on the D&H Canal (Virtual Program)

The Cheese Factory System (Virtual Program)

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Engraving from Harpers Magazine of Williams cheese factoryJust North of Rome, NY, the modern cheese industry was born in 1851. Jesse Williams was a successful farmer and cheese maker but believed by working together as cooperative dairies, farmers could maximize their profits. This led him to start the first cheese factory in the United States, a move that revolutionized agriculture not only locally, but across the nation.

Jesse Williams died in 1864 at age 67. At that time Oneida County was making over eight million pounds of cheese per year. Williams never patented his cheese-making inventions but gave them to the agricultural world. [Read more…] about The Cheese Factory System (Virtual Program)

Schoharie Crossing Winter Virtual Lectures Schedule

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Schoharie Crossing on Erie Canal showing 9 arches of aqueduct at Fort HunterThe Erie Canal historic site, Schoharie Crossing will host several online programs this winter on a variety of history related topics.

Presentations will be offered in two series: Lunchbox Lessons and the Third Thursday Lectures. Both series will be offered live online and most will be recorded for later viewing on YouTube. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing Winter Virtual Lectures Schedule

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