Erie Canalway – Bike Tour Blueprint – Experience

LOCKPORT
Lockport has some of the most impressive canal-related architecture still in place. It is named for a series of locks built in 1825 which helped complete the original canal construction. In 1918, these locks were improved and a series of five new locks—called the “Flight of Five”—replaced the original. These locks have been preserved and are active today. Visitors can tour the locks on a Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride. 

MEDINA
The village of Medina is situated at a bend in the canal which created a basin that served as a stopover point for canal traffic. The village grew to service the traffic and trade needs created by the canal throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, preservationists have made considerable effort to restore and reuse historic Victorian-era buildings and revitalize the village center. 

BROCKPORT
Brockport has embraced Erie Canal visitors and remodeled their historic port to include walkways, a canal visitors center with bathrooms/showers, canal art, and restaurants. The canal lift bridge at Brockport is active and you may see it in operation during your visit as it allows canal traffic to flow underneath. The village is home to the College at Brockport, State University of New York. 

ROCHESTER
The city of Rochester is the largest city our Erie Canalway tours pass through. The canal route passes south of the city center and through Genesee Valley Park. The Genesee Riverway Trail (GRT) intersects with the Erie Canalway in this park. The GRT follows the Genesee River and connects nine historic districts and landmarks such as the Erie Canalway Aqueduct and the Lake Ontario Lighthouse. In the 20th century, Rochester was an active manufacturing and business hub. Companies such as Kodak, Western Union, Bausch & Lomb, and Xerox all began in Rochester. Today the Rochester area is still an economic driver and ranks with Buffalo as the largest regional economies in New York State, after New York City. 

PITTSFORD
The town of Pittsford was settled before the arrival of the Erie Canal, but the building of the canal increased development in the town and the region. Railroads then came into the region in the mid-1800s and even further increased economic development. More recently, Pittsford has remained an active suburb of Rochester and a commercial hub. The historic village of Pittsford contains a mix of restaurants and retail, all in close proximity to the Erie Canal. In the 1990s, Pittsford targeted the Erie Canal waterfront for rehabilitation and enhancements. These mulityear efforts resulted in Schoen Place, an historic warehouse/wholesale district which today contains bike shops, restaurants, wine shops, and retail. 

FAIRPORT
Fairport is a popular suburb of Rochester and has been called the “Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal”. It has been named one of the “Best Places to Live” by Money Magazine. The town grew initially with the building of the canal, but its fortunes grew further with the construction of railroads in the 1850s. Fairport sees plenty of visitor traffic from the Erie Canal (both on trail and on the water) and has an expanded walking area with restaurants and other services.

PALMYRA/NEWARK
Palmyra and Newark lie at the eastern end of the non-motorized Erie Canal route. Palmyra is the birthplace of the Church of Latter-day Saints. Joseph Smith lived here in 1820 when he first reported his visions. There are several historic properties relevant to this church in Palmyra. The village of Newark became famous in the late 19th century for roses cultivated and sold by Jackson & Perkins Company. In the first part of the 20th century, it was a major grower and distributor of decorative plants such a clematis, azaleas, and rhododendrons. After WWII, the town was known as the “Rose Capital of America.”

PORT BYRON
When the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, it allowed the settlement here to prosper with the development of a hotel, theater, and various mill operations. In 1917, the canal was rerouted using the Seneca River. The town suffered economic setbacks, but the railroad and present day State Route 31 provided a lifeline to the town. The Erie Canalway Trail here passes through The Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park which tells the story of the canalway and Port Byron through artifacts and historic structures.

SYRACUSE
As with the other canal towns, the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 here resulted in economic and population growth. Industries thrived within Syracuse and by the end of the 19th century numerous manufacturing operations including automobiles were produced within town. The 20th century saw industrial giants like General Electric, Carrier Corp, and Lockhead Martin prosper with manufacturing facilities. Today healthcare, education, and transportation logistics drive the economy.

ROME
The area was utilized for thousands of years as an efficient portage route between the Great Lakes and east coast waterways. In the 18th century, Europeans recognized the importance of the “Oneida Carry” and constructed numerous forts along its approximate one to six-mile length, depending upon the season. The British eventually abandoned these forts in 1756 as the French were thought to be advancing towards the Oneida Carry. The British returned in 1758 and constructed Fort Stanwix to guard the portage. During the Revolutionary War, the fort and its American occupants were under siege by the British for 21 days in 1777. The fort continued to serve American forces through the Revolution and Indian Campaigns. In 1817, the first dirt was moved for the Erie Canal at Rome. During the industrial revolution Rome became known as “Copper City” as it contributed a significant portion of the copper used in the US.

UTICA
With the retreat of the French in 1757, the British constructed Fort Schuyler the following year to guard the Mohawk River in the location of Utica. The fort was abandoned by the time of the Revolutionary War. Eventually, a settlement grew here as a popular respite for travelers along the Erie or Chenango Canals and various railroads that crossed the valley. The 19th century saw the rise of textile manufacturing and other heavy industries. Today, Utica is considered the gateway to Adirondack Park.

LITTLE FALLS
Little Falls is situated within a narrow gorge that contains numerous rapids along the Mohawk River. Little Falls did not experience extensive growth until after the American Revolution. The Erie Canal was completed in 1825. The nearly unlimited supply of water power supplied multiple textile mills and other industries to prosper during the industrial revolution.

AMSTERDAM
Unlike other towns along the Erie Canalway Trail, Amsterdam was settled later due to the steep sided valley walls, rocky soils, and a contentious baronal landowner. Within the first-half of the 19th century, the development of the Mohawk Turnpike, Erie Canal, and railroads generated interest in Amsterdam and its available water power. The town eventually became known as Carpet City with companies like Mohawk and Sanford-Bigelow becoming industrial giants. As with many towns along the canal, the 20th century loss of manufacturing has dealt a significant blow to the city’s populace.

SCHENECTADY
Dutch settlement occurred in 1661 when the area was part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. The area escaped direct involvement in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, but it did contribute forces. Development in the 19th century included Thomas Edison’s machine works and the headquarters of General Electric. Schenectady includes New York’s first National Register Historic District – The Stockade – which the Erie Canalway Trail passes through.

ALBANY
Capital of New York State, Albany was known as Beverwyck and established by the West India Company in 1652. Albany served as central planning operations during the French and Indian War for English forces. It became New York’s state capital in 1797. Like many of the other towns along the Erie Canalway, agriculture and industrial development prospered as the canal and later forms of transportation allowed for the cheap and efficient movement of goods.