Today, I’m going to start posting images and stories about the Erie Canal, which is now 200 years old. I hope that, within this blog, I can do this history justice. Today, I am sharing some photographs of the western portion of the canal. The above picture is Lockport, where the locks, called the “Flight of Five,” are famous.
This is where the Erie Canal meets Lake Erie. It is the westernmost point of the Erie Canal. This area in Buffalo, New York, is known as “canalside.”
This is Gateway Harbor Park, which includes both sides of the canal: the City of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda. On August 16th, there was a boat parade to celebrate the canal’s bicentennial. It was to have been led by the Edward M. Cotter, which is Buffalo’s 125-year-old fireboat, but the fireboat had engine problems, so the parade was led by Grand Island’s fireboat, instead. The Edward M. Cotter is the oldest working fireboat on earth. It celebrated its big anniversary last month.
Here is another view of the canal. I took this picture as I was walking on the Riverwalk, which starts in downtown Buffalo and ends at Gateway Harbor Park.
Here is a view of the locks, in Lockport, New York.
Stay tuned! Much more about the canal and the boats and the stories is coming!
Hi Alice, Great pictures. I am looking forward to seeing more of your posts. Locks are fascinating for their simplicity and power.
There is a place north of Winnipeg, Manitoba that is called Lockport. I have visited it a couple of times to fish in the river and to see a cousin living near there. Maybe every canal system has at least one Lockport. 😉
Blog on!
That is so interesting, Doug, about the name Lockport. I looked up Lockport, Manitoba, on my web browser, and it looks like the fishing is really good there!
How I remember studying about the Erie Canal when I was in school! Your photos are awesome and looking forward to more about the canal.
Thank you so much, Martha.