Baldwinsville Celebrates the Erie Canal's Bicentennial

10/04/2025

The magnificent Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief left Baldwinsville this morning, passing through Lock 24 on her way to her next stop on the shore of Onondaga Lake, es**rted by the beautiful 1928 Great Lakes tug Governor Roosevelt. What an extraordinary event this has been!

10/04/2025

It’s a beautiful evening down at the Papermill Island. Come visit our table and say hi!

10/04/2025

The group taking a short ride on Seneca Chief, just before reaching Baldwinsville. Lisa Saunders in the front, Joe from the Camillus Canal Society, Jacquie from the Baldwinsville Public Library, and Donna Freyleu, a Board of Trustee of Baldwinsville all waiting excitedly.

10/04/2025

We're tired!
Thank you, Baldwinsville, for coming out to celebrate 200 years of the Erie Canal!

10/04/2025

The Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief arrives at Paper Mill Island.

10/04/2025

The Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief approaching Paper Mill Island.

10/04/2025

What a fabulous day we had on Paper Mill Island! Thanks to Buffalo Maritime Center for bringing the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief to Baldwinsville. 296 people toured the boat and there were at least 250 more people there. Thank you for coming out to celebrate this historic event! Videos will be posted in separate posts because Facebook won't let us do it all at one time.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS IN THE COMMENTS!

10/02/2025

Thanks to Angry Smokehouse and Olive's Eatery for donating dinner and breakfast to the crew of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief Friday and Saturday. Buffalo Maritime Center

10/02/2025

Learn more about Friday's Bicentennial celebration and a LOT about the history of the Erie Canal in Baldwinsville. Thanks to Frank and Roman of Brews N Banter podcast for hosting us!

Audio only:

In this episode of Brews & Banter, we raise a glass and dive into the past and future of our region’s lifeblood: the Erie Canal. We’re joined in the studio b...

09/28/2025

The Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief docked in Fairport today!

Seneca Chief Arrives in Fairport: Quite the flotilla this afternoon as the Seneca Chief replica vessel arrived in Fairport, NY—passing under the iconic Lift Bridge— where it will overnight tonight and tomorrow before proceeding to Newark, NY on Tuesday. The Fairport-based Colonial Belle helped usher the Chief into this terrific Western New York village along the Erie Canal. Today marks day 5 five of a 33-day journey of the Seneca Chief in this bicentennial year of the historic waterway. A couple hundred volunteers with the Buffalo Maritime Center built the boat over the last several years for the purpose of being able to travel to New York City—they will arrive at New York Harbor on October 26th powered by the C.L. Churchill es**rt vessel that belongs to the Buffalo Maritime Center. For those east of Fairport along the Erie Canal, this is heading your way in the coming days. Here is the schedule where and when the Seneca Chief will be docked in port:

—Fairport 9/28-9/29
—Newark 9/30
—Lyons 10/1
—Clyde 10/2
—Baldwinsville 10/3
—Syracuse 10/4-10/5
—Brewerton 10/6
—Sylvan Beach 10/7
—Rome 10/8
—Utica 10/9
—Herkimer 10/10
—Little Falls 10/11
—Canajoharie 10/12
—Amsterdam 10/13
—Schenectady 10/14
—Waterford 10/15-10/16 —Troy 10/17-10/18
—Albany 10/19
—Hudson 10/20
—Kingston 10/21-10/22
—Cornwall 10/23
—Ossining 10/24
—New York City 10/25-10/26

This is a terrific vessel to see—there is plenty of opportunity to go on board and experience the educational aspects of this terrific voyage. More updates to follow…Buffalo Maritime Center

09/28/2025

The Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief started its 33-day journey on September 24th. The Baldwinsville Public Library will display the Marine Traffic Tracker while it follows the progress of the Seneca Chief throughout her trip, including her stop at Baldwinsville on October 3rd at approximately 5PM.

MarineTraffic.com obtains ship information from over 2000 automatic identification system (AIS) stations in over 165 countries across the globe. AIS gains information on ships from their transponder, a radio signal that transmits the vessel details. Under maritime regulations, the Seneca Chief is not required to have a transponder because of its 19th century style, smaller size, and inland waterway travel. Marine Traffic will follow the progress of the tug, CL Churchill, while it helps Seneca Chief on her journey.

Buffalo Maritime Center

09/18/2025

Media Availability and Photo Opportunity –
Erie Canal Bicentennial Flotillas

The NYS Canal Corporation, in collaboration with the Buffalo Maritime Center, will host a series of flotillas (boat parades) along the Erie Canal throughout September and October as the state commemorates the 200th anniversary of the completion of the original Erie Canal.

The flotillas will be led by the Buffalo Maritime Center’s Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief, a full-scale replica of the vessel Governor DeWitt Clinton traveled on from Buffalo to New York City in 1825, when the canal opened.

New York State Canal Corporation vessels, tour boats, and other commercial and registered private vessels from across New York State will join the Seneca Chief.
Boaters possessing a valid New York State Boating License are invited to join each flotilla. Registration is required. Information can be found at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nys-canals-bicentennial-flotilla-multiple-dateslocations-available-tickets-1660993138189?aff=oddtdtcreator

SCHEDULE (Departure and arrival times are estimates)

#1: Buffalo to Lockport – Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Departure (10:00 am): 44 Prime St. Buffalo, NY 14202 (Canalside)
Arrival (1:30 pm): Tonawanda, NY (Gateway Harbor)
Departure (2:30 pm): Tonawanda, NY (Gateway Harbor)
Arrival (5:30 pm): 80 Canal St. Lockport, NY 14094 (Flight of Five Forebay)
Distance: 30 miles
Number of Locks: Two – Locks E-34/35 (Lockport)
Estimated Travel Time: 8 hours

#2: Rochester to Fairport – Sunday, September 28, 2025
Departure (10:00 am): 280 Exchange Blvd. Rochester, NY 14608 (Corn Hill Landing)
Arrival (12:15 pm): Pittsford, NY (Schoen Place)
Departure (2:15 pm): Pittsford, NY (Schoen Place)
Arrival (3:30 pm): Fairport, NY (Erie Canal at the Box Factory)
Distance: 17 miles
Number of Locks: Two – Lock E-33 (Henrietta) and Lock E-32 (Pittsford)
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hours

#3: Baldwinsville to Syracuse – Saturday, October 4, 2025
Departure (10:00 am): 136 Spensieri Ave. Baldwinsville, NY 13027 (Paper Mill Island)
Arrival (12:00 pm): 106 Lake Dr. Liverpool, NY 13088 (Onondaga Lake State Park)
Distance: 8.5 miles
Number of Locks: One – Lock E-24 (Baldwinsville)
Estimated Travel Time: 2.5 hours

#4: Schenectady to Waterford – Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Departure (9:00 am): 220 Harborside Dr. Schenectady, NY 12305 (Mohawk Harbor)
Arrival (4:00 pm): 1 Tugboat Alley Waterford, NY 12188 (Waterford Harbor)
Distance: 16 miles
Number of Locks: Six – Lock E-7 (Niskayuna) and Locks E-6 through E-2 (Waterford)
Estimated Travel Time: 7 hours

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About the New York State Canal Corporation
New York’s Canal system includes four canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga–Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique communities.

The New York State Canal Corporation is a subsidiary of the New York Power Authority.

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