NOPL Brewerton sits yards away from the Oneida River, which makes up part of the Erie Canal. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is leading a celebration of the canal’s bicentennial anniversary this year and provided us with a commemorative banner. The organization shared a little history:
“Two hundred years ago, thousands of European and American travelers floated down the canal to experience firsthand the marvel of the waterway and the changes it was bringing to a young America. Built between 1817 and 1825, the original Erie Canal spanned 363 miles from the Hudson River at Albany to Lake Erie at Buffalo. By providing a waterway route that connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean at New York City, the Erie Canal brought immediate and lasting impacts to New York State and the nation.”
NOPL Brewerton Manager Erin Cassidy explains that “Although Brewerton was not adjacent to the historic Erie Canal, which saw peak usage from 1870-1896, a first-of-its-kind artery in the form of the plank road from Syracuse to Central Square was completed in 1846 and was subsequently upgraded to a gravel toll road. The last toll was collected in 1913 and by 1918, the New York State Barge Canal that includes the Oneida River had superseded the historic Erie Canal and placed Brewerton adjacent to the deeper and wider canal system that featured powered locks and serviced vessels that could be up to 300 feet long!”
The Erie Canalway offers a plethora of information to help you plan a canal trip to celebrate this special year! There are so many options, from an afternoon visit to weeks-long journeys! Visit the organization’s website to learn more about walking, biking, and boating the canal, as well as pre-planned road trips, cruises, and events.
NOPL can help you investigate the history of this vital player in New York State history as well as provide more recreation ideas. There are dozens of books about the waterway and its history available at NOPL and more materials can be found in the OCPL catalog. You can also uncover some unique resources in the Local History and Genealogy Department at OCPL’s Central Library in Downtown Syracuse and on its website.
NOPL Brewerton has a copy of the Empire State Trail map brochure that can be used in the library. We also have a Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce member guide that lists sports & recreation, marina, and entertainment options in the area. You can even borrow fishing poles through NOPL’s Unusual Items Collection.
Your library card can be your portal to many adventures, the Erie Canal is just one!
