History, Natural History & the Arts
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)
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site has announced the return of the Putman Porch Music series for its fifth year starting on Thursday, June 6th at 6 pm. This series invites local musicians to spend an evening on the historic Putman Canal Store porch. Putman’s store building is located at Yankee Hill Lock on the grounds of Schoharie Crossing, 553 Queen Anne Road. [Read more…] about 5th Annual Music Series at Schoharie Crossing
The Friends of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site are set to welcome Thomas Grasso to discuss the bedrock and ice age geologic history of the region, and how this long and complex natural history affected human history by controlling the route of the canal and the obstacles that had to be overcome.
Some of the local quarries that supplied stone for locks and aqueducts will be mentioned. [Read more…] about Geology of the Erie Canal Program 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
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site has issued a call for photograph submissions to be included in the 2019 art exhibit, “The Passage of Time.”
Photographers residing in New York State who want to showcase their work in a competitive, juried exhibition are encouraged to read the show description and submit original work within the theme by the deadline of May 15, 2019. [Read more…] about A Schoharie Crossing Call for Art 2019
Schoharie Crossing is set to host the annual Canal Days Festival on July 14-15 from 11 am to 4 pm. This event is a free community festival celebrating the Erie Canal and the character of the people and towns along the way. This event is part of the continuing celebration of the Erie Canal Bicentennial. The Erie Canal was started in 1817 and completed in 1825.
This year’s festival will feature a participatory balloon art installation by Airigami. This company has been creating unique art displays which have been showcased around the world. As part of the Canal Days festivities, they will be supervising the creation of a large Erie Canal packet boat mural out of environmentally friendly balloons. [Read more…] about Canal Days at Schoharie Crossing Historic Site
The Friends of Schoharie Crossing are inviting painters residing in New York State to showcase their work in a competitive, juried exhibition. The theme of the exhibition is Lock in the Fun: Recreation at Schoharie Crossing.
To recognize the centennial of the NYS Barge Canal, Schoharie Crossing will be hosting this second annual exhibition of talented artists in the newly renovated Visitor Center. This year the focus will be on paintings only. Jurors have accepted the task of reviewing the artwork and prizes will be awarded to those honored by the jurors. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing Call for Art 2018
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will conduct its third annual Tuesday Talk series to recognize New York State History Month this November. Each week a speaker will present on regional or New York State history.
This year, the series starts on Tuesday the 7th with Liaisons Plaisantes performing music from the early 19th century. Music during the early part of the 19th century was not only entertainment but also connected people and communities. All along the turnpikes and canals of New York, music reflected the culture, political, social movements and a changing world view in light of new innovations. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing’s NYS History Month Series Set
As part of a statewide commemoration of the Erie Canal’s 200th anniversary, the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter and the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse will host a lecture by Dr. Carol Sheriff, author of The Artificial River, Sunday, July 23, at 4 pm inside the newly renovated Visitors Center at 129 Schoharie Street.
Reflections on Erie’s Waters is a collaboration between The Erie Canal Museum and The Canal Society of New York State to commemorate the waterway’s bicentennial and examine its legacy and future through diverse viewpoints. Reflections presents an inclusive view of the Erie Canal, examines its relevance and importance and heightens awareness of its historical impact, current significance and future potential through a series of workshops, lectures and exhibits. [Read more…] about Schoharie Crossing Lecture on Erie Canal Sunday
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will host Helen Martin on April 25th at 6:30 pm to present, “The Ultimate Rift: Evolution within the Women’s Suffrage Movement.” Martin will discuss the evolution in the movement and the role of Johnstown native Elizabeth Cady Stanton in securing women the right to vote.
The presentation will focus on suffrage efforts and the ultimate rift between the “old guard” and the younger generation of suffragists who became involved. It will cover how women in New York gained suffrage three years before the entire nation did, and this program will discuss the attention paid to as well as credit given to the younger group at that time; partially because so many of the “old guard” had passed away prior to the passage of suffrage in NY State in 1917. [Read more…] about Ultimate Rift: Evolution in Women’s Suffrage Movement