Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, NY, Part One

The Erie Canal Museum in in Syracuse, NY. What a terrific Museum! My kids did not want to leave. We spent about an hour and a half enjoying the displays and numerous hands-on activities for the kids. New York State has an education program that teaches the history of the Erie Canal. The Museum is geared toward this; it’s very appealing to children. It’s pretty obvious that my own kids heartily enjoyed it.

I went on a photography blitz here, taking more than 60 photographs. There was just so much to see and do! Of course, I can’t possibly post all the photos and information in one article. I am breaking up our visit into two posts. Be sure to read each one to get a well-rounded virtual visit.

After the massive parking woes, we found a parking spot and piled out of the van. Here’s the landmark, in case you ever need to find the Museum. The Museum is across the street from this statue.

The Museum is housed in the old “weighlock building,” built in 1850 (during the Greek Revival days of Upstate New York). It is the only remaining weighlock building of its kind, in the world.

A weighlock building weighed the canal boats. Tolls were charged for every packet boat that used the Erie Canal, and these tolls were determined by a boat’s weight. Read more

The Erie Canal Village, Rome, NY, Part 3

You can read Part 1 and Part 2 and my video post of the packet boat ride is here. We spent all day at the Village, and there was so much to discover! Our Packet Boat ride was set to begin. It cost us $6 per person, so it was very pricey. But I suspect that a lot of the ticket money goes toward the feeding and care of the horses, who draw the boat up and down this portion of the canal twice a day.

Here comes the team for the boat. Read more