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#Post#: 2433--------------------------------------------------
The Original Erie Canal - National Treasure or New York State
Disgrace?
DIR By: Doug K
Date: May 2, 2023, 10:13 am
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It's a very good question, and one that most people would say
should be a "national treasure". Of course those same people
don't lift a finger to prove it... albeit with plenty of
opportunity with these regular Canal Clean Sweep events.
After moving from the tranquility of a nicely groomed NYS Empire
Trail in my old backyard, and having easy access to the Erie
Canal, that's only filled the half year in the "60 mile pool"
from Lockport to Rochester, I have changed my mind... it's
really a New York State disgrace, especially the original
version that's seen in many places.
Yes... DISGRACE!
Why? Because many people in central New York have to see this
Erie Canal each day... this in a US Parks National Heritage site
Here's the view of the ORIGINAL Erie Canal in
Montezuma...between Cayuga & Port Byron. It was abandoned in the
name of "progress" for the NYS Canal System.
[attachimg=1]
And here's another view of the historic Erie Canal, and the
actual towpath where mules named Sal worked pulling barges. This
one in Centerport, locate between Port Byron & Weedsport. This
section was also abandoned, along with the communities around
here, by a NYS Canal enlargement that was never needed, never
fully utilized and has only created long-lasting, annual FLOOD
issues in the Seneca River Basin.
[attachimg=2]
Note the stone wall on the south side of the almost empty prism.
Just a small stream of water remains inside.
And a view of the nice signage along this towpath... too bad the
Erie Canal itself is overgrown, and littered with trash.
[attachimg=3]
I have covered a few other abandoned sections of the Old Erie
Canal, sections that are along more "major" routes seem to get
way more attention than those on the backroads that locals
travel here. It's a series of posts titled " In Search of the
Real Erie Canal
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/ecna-neighborhood-news/a-search-for-the-erie-canal-of-yesterday-guess-what-we-found/
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/ecna-neighborhood-news/visit-the-original-erie-canal-in-your-town-historical-markers-show-the-way/
Where's the NYS Canal Corporation when it comes to taking care
of their "past" Erie Canal sins?
Why haven't they helped these communities by sprucing up these
original sections of the canal and showing how vastly different
the old version was to the new?
Why isn't the Canal Clean Sweep program addressing these
sections that are almost being lost to time?
And where are all those concerned "environmentalist" on social
media, those who are out protesting the damage being caused by
normal earthen embankment maintenance? They sit by idly, saying
how they long for days of mules named Sal pulling barges. Why
aren't they out here adopting these HISTORICAL sections of the
original canal system?
Finally, where is the US Government in all of this?
Shouldn't the folks who are watching over the Erie Canal
National Heritage Corridor (ECNHC) find a way to FUND local
municipalities efforts in Montezuma, Port Byron and Centerport
to clean up these original canal prism sections? The ECNHC is a
close to a national park as we have in this area, what would
they say if Yosemite was as poorly managed as the Erie Canal
Park is?
It's a DISGRACE to New York, and shows a total lack of ownership
on their part to leave this history to eventual decay.
The original Erie Canal was built with the blood, seat & tears
of local residents, who were PAID by CONTRACT to work digging a
ditch... for the benefit of NY and the entire country.
Yes, workers who built the Original Canal were PAID for each
section they built, some sections only as long as a few thousand
feet. Just needed to prove you could do the work
You would think that NY State or the Federal Government would
recognize that IF that idea worked 200 years ago to build the
Erie, just maybe it will work to restore it to the same way it
was when they closed these sections.
Maybe it's time for fresh ideas in the NYS Canal Corporation...
and it starts with those closest to the issues at hand.
Maybe it's time for NY Residents to demand MORE from the New
York State Canal Corporation and it's parent NY Power?
#Post#: 2434--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Original Erie Canal - National Treasure or New York
State Disgrace?
DIR By: Michael Caswell
Date: May 3, 2023, 4:22 am
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The same argument could be applied to The Oxbow in Fairport.
The original canal is STILL there. As you walk from Erie
Crescent towards Old Post Road, if you look carefully to your
left, you can see the depression of the old canal, nestled along
the side of Minerva Deland School playing field.
The original pub is still there, being renovated by its new
owners. You can read more about this here
HTML https://wordpress.com/post/theoxbowblog.wordpress.com/3052
It wouldn't take much to clean out the brush and trees and open
up the canal to the main channel. While they were at it, the
silt that has built up between the island and Erie Crescent
houses could be removed and they could once more enjoy their
'waterfront' properties once more.
HTML https://theoxbowblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/oxbow-1950s.jpg
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