History, Natural History & the Arts
The 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
For 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
The Friends of Schoharie Crossing has announced “Palatine Germans in the Mohawk Valley,” a virtual program set for Thursday, March 16th. [Read more…] about Palatines in the Mohawk Valley
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
Workers 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
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site has announced the return of Museum Monday programs this winter, featuring brief discussions on a relevant topic on select Mondays from 11 am to 1 pm. [Read more…] about Annual Winter Lectures from Schoharie Crossing
For 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
The 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
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
This 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