Canal museums and parks
Across the state there are many Canal museums and parks that preserve the history of former canal eras as wells as modern parks associated with today's canal. In each region of the canal system there are a few top canal museums and parks (listed below) as well as numerous smaller places of interest. In addition to the formal canal museums, there many parks that preserve the past or showcase the modern canal.
This page highlights some of the major canal museums and parks, but there are too many to list, so others can be found on the local canal town's page. Also remember that each of the modern canal's locks are a park, and they welcome visitors. Omitted from this list are museums that do not explicitly deal with the canal system, these are also found on the local town pages.
If you feel that a canal museum or park has been omitted, please email me (Greg) at mail@nycanals.com so I can include it.
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Hudson River
- Hudson River Maritime Museum
Champlain Canal Region
In the eastern part of the state, there are two notable sites. The first is in Skenesborough Museum in Whitehall and the second are the combined historic areas within Fort Edward.
The Skenesborough Museum located right at the terminal wall in Whitehall is a must stop for anyone interested in the history of the formation of the United States, early travel, early wars and the building of the canals. There is much history to be learned as well as many artifacts to see; its a great way to spend a few hours. Also the Skeene Manor, located atop the hill across from the terminal wall, is now owned by a preservation group and does tours and meals. For more information, see the desk in the museum or lock master.
Eastern Erie Canal
There are many interesting sites along the eastern Erie Canal, but here we will focus on the following:
- Schoharie Crossing Historic Site
- Flight of Locks (Waterford)
- Matton Shipyard and the Day Peckinpaugh (Waterford)
Central Erie Canal
- Erie Canal Museum (Syracuse)
- Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct (Camillus)
- Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum (Chittenango)
- Erie Canal Village (Rome)
- Canastota Canal Town Museum (Canastota)
Western Erie Canal
- Lockport Flight of Locks (Lockport)
- Lockport Canal Museum (Lockport)
Cayuga-Seneca Canal
Oswego Canal
Black River Canal
- Boonville Black River Canal Museum (Boonville)