Spindle City Historic Society

10/12/2026

09/08/2026

Join us September 12th for a walking tour of the Erie Canal in Cohoes - part of the Hudson River Valley Ramble events (hudsonrivervalleyramble.com).
Meet at the Visitor Center/Cohoes Museum Hall 1st floor at 1 pm

Description:
Cohoes began its rise to industrial prominence as a canal town. The Erie and Champlain Canals traversed Cohoes, and this network of waterways, along with abundant waterpower, made Cohoes a leader in the Industrial Revolution. This walking tour will feature canal towpaths where mules pulling barges once trod, limestone locks built by hand, and other historic canal features. On the tour, you will learn the history of this 19th century technological achievement and find out the different routes the canal took through Cohoes over time. At stops along the route, you will hear stories of life in a lively canal town, learn about some of the people instrumental in developing and building the canal, and discover how transportation and power canals and the Cohoes Falls led to the growth of the Harmony Mills and other industries in Cohoes. The tour will begin at the Cohoes Visitor Center.

07/11/2026

POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER!!
We are postponing this tour until September 12th and will have it as part of the Hudson River Valley Ramble.
stay safe!

Cross Town Canal Tour - Saturday, July 18, 2026, 1 - 4 pm.

Start at the Visitors Center at 58 Remsen St (first floor of Music Hall) for the tour spot locations.

Visit sites of the historic Erie Canal from the southern to northern end of Cohoes at your own pace. At each location, there will be images of the canal in its heyday and tales of its history plus some give-aways.

Hope to see you there!

05/01/2026

bummed you missed the lecture about the Seneca Chief's trip from Buffalo to NYC along the canals?
Hope is not lost - the boat is dry-docked in Waterford and when the Buffalo Maritime Center folks come to get the boat ready to go back to Buffalo, they are having an open house. So save the date of May 15th for the Open House or May 16th for the Waterford Canal Festival and head on over to check out the boat!
for more info and other dates: https://buffalomaritimecenter.org/backtobuffalo/

04/20/2026

Just a couple screen shots from the Seneca Chief lecture last month - this time they gathered water from the canal as opposed to the first trip where they had a "Wedding of the Waters" ceremony, where Lake Erie water was poured into the Atlantic Ocean, marking the official opening.
Our thanks to Eddie Knibloe, for giving a great presentation!

04/13/2026

Join us on Saturday, April 18, from 10 - 12 for Canal Clean Sweep! We meet up at the Heritage trail - the corner of Vliet and Summit - and pick up garbage along the trail in both directions. We always find some odd bits, so come on out and help us keep the path clean.