Eastern Erie Canal

Seneca Chief 2026

21 March 2026
Categories: Bicentennial, Boat the Erie Canal, Eastern Erie Canal, Western Erie Canal

2026 Back to Buffalo Tour

About the 2026 Back to Buffalo Tour

After traveling east to New York City to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal’s opening in the fall of 2025, the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief will travel westward along the canal to return to the city of Buffalo, where it all began.

The Back to Buffalo Tour is a statewide education and community engagement initiative led by the Buffalo Maritime Center, designed to connect students, educators, and canal communities with New York’s living maritime heritage. From May to October, the tour invites learners of all ages to explore the Erie Canal through guided boat tours, hands-on demonstrations, public events, festival appearances, and a homeward voyage along the canal. The Seneca Chief serves as a moving symbol of shared history and a platform for statewide learning.

You can also join the Back to Buffalo Tour virtually by following us on Facebook and Instagram. Each episode of our Virtual Voyage series will feature real-time updates, educational spotlights, and behind-the-scenes moments with our port partners and crew.

Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief Tour Timeline:

MAY 15: Guided Tours, Waterford

MAY 16: Waterford Canal Festival, Waterford

JUNE 6: Voyage Departure Event, Waterford

JUNE 6 – JUNE 27: Back to Buffalo Voyage, Along the Erie Canal

JUNE 27: Back to Buffalo Homecoming Event, Buffalo

JUNE 28 – SEPTEMBER 27: Guided Tours & Demonstrations, Buffalo

OCTOBER 3: Locktoberfest, Lockport

OCTOBER 4 – OCTOBER 15: Guided Tours & Demonstrations, Lockport

The Back to Buffalo Voyage | June 6 – 27, 2026

Building on the momentum of the 2025 Bicentennial Voyage – a defining event for Buffalo Maritime Center and New York State – the Back to Buffalo Voyage serves as the centerpiece of the tour, shifting from a commemorative journey to an education-first program.

Over 22 days, the boat will visit 16 ports along the Erie Canal, delivering NYS curriculum-aligned programming and public engagement opportunities expected to reach more than 5,000 students and thousands of community members statewide.

Back to Buffalo Tour Map & Itinerary for Website

Student and Community Programming

The tour features longer port stays that allow for schooltime visits and deeper, place-based learning experiences.

Students and visitors will learn traditional boatbuilding skills and explore the Erie Canal’s environmental, economic, cultural, and Indigenous history. The on-board experience lets people interact directly with the historic replica boat, life on the canal, and the importance of community.

Please click here to fill out the Field Trip Interest Form. Buffalo Maritime Center’s Education Director will contact you to schedule your visit to the canal boat and you will be added to a mailing list for future educational opportunities. Due to limited capacity, the field trip schedule will be developed on a first come first serve basis.

Support the Back to Buffalo Tour

The Back to Buffalo initiative builds on the success of the 2025 Bicentennial Voyage, positioning the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief as a traveling ambassador for New York’s canal heritage and a hands-on educational resource for learners across the state. To be a part of making this possible, click here to Donate Today.

The Buffalo Maritime Center is seeking partnerships and sponsorships for this season-long program. To become an official Sponsor, click here or contact Brian Trzeciak, Executive Director, at 716.881.0111 or via email at brian@bu 

Houseboats in Rome NY

15 November 2025
Categories: Boat the Erie Canal, Eastern Erie Canal

Could a houseboat community be coming to Rome NY, well yes if a local developer is able to receive the necessary zoning and planning board permission.   The plan would be to re-configure the marina to allow for 21 year-round houseboats to be placed at the Erie Canal Marina.  As is the case with several marinas on the Canal system, they have been forced to forgo maintenance as use of the Canal has lessened

The idea of creating houseboat communities along the Erie Canal has been of great interest to us at East Coast Houseboats.  When the Re-imagine the Canals, competition was first announced it got us thinking about how the Canal might benefit from the idea that houseboats could be a great way to get people out on the water.  With 524 miles of navigable waterway and more than 30 marinas located within the system it seems as if there are countless opportunities.

The obvious location for these boats would be in the existing marinas.  For these marinas, it would give them the opportunity to fill up any unused slips or even monetize areas of the marina that in the past have been unusable such as those with shallow water.  

What about the miles of unused sections of the Canal that could sustain small communities of houseboats?  What about the idea of creating mini marinas where groups of 5 or 6 boats could be located?  These marinas could be built with minimal infrastructure, there would be no fuel docks required, not even a travel lift.  A crane could be brought in for a day each Fall to pick the boats from the water and the process repeated in the Spring.  These boats could be built to be used completely off the grid, using Solar and wind generation which would provide virtually no carbon footprint. This could provide opportunities for businesses already located within the NYS Canal System to expand or even bring new investors to the area. 

The owners of these houseboats would now have access by water through the Canal System to go anywhere in the world or just sit on their floating front porch and fish, watch wildlife, kayak, canoe or bike or hike the Canalway Trail. 

 These boats could be placed in vacation rental platforms such as home-to-go or Airbnb offering opportunities to visitors to the Canal  a completely new way to experience the Canal Corridor.  These mini marinas could be set up so boat owners could park their day boats next to their houseboats for those trips out on the lake for a day of watersports or a trip to a dock and dine.

East Coast Houseboats builds and launch’s these boats at our production facility in Windsor NY.   The boats can be floated through the Canal System to their desired mooring locations

 

Floatsam Circus on the Erie Canal

25 July 2025
Categories: Bicentennial, Cayuga/Seneca Canals, Champlain Canal, Eastern Erie Canal, Western Erie Canal

FLOTSAM!

2025 ERIE CANAL AND HUDSON RIVER TOUR!
Coinciding with the 200th Anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal, Flotsam River Circus will be traveling the entire length of the canal and the Hudson River, giving performances in dozens of towns from Buffalo to New York City.

Aug 1 – BUFFALO – Wilkeson Pointe Beach – 7 pm
Aug 2 – BUFFALO – Wilkeson Pointe Beach – 7 pm
Aug 3 – BUFFALO – Wilkeson Pointe Beach – 7 pm
Aug 4 – TONAWANDA – Gateway Harbor – 7 pm
Aug 5 – LOCKPORT – Wide Waters Marina – 7 pm
Aug 6 – MEDINA – Medina Canal Basin – 7 pm
Aug 7 – BROCKPORT – Harvester Park – 6:30 pm
Aug 8 – ROCHESTER – Corn Hill Landing – 7 pm
Aug 9 – ROCHESTER – Corn Hill Landing – 7 pm
Aug 10 – FAIRPORT – Lift Bridge West Dock – 7 pm
Aug 13 – GENEVA – Finger Lakes Welcome Center – 7 pm
Aug 14 – SENECA FALLS – Bonafiglia Foundation Property – 7 pm
Aug 15 – BALDWINSVILLE – Marble Island – 7 pm
Aug 16 – SYRACUSE AREA – Willow Bay Park – 7 pm
Aug 17 – LIVERPOOL – Onondaga Lake Park – 7 pm
Aug 19 – OSWEGO – Oswego Canal Lock 8 – 7 pm
Aug 20 – PHOENIX – Henley Park – 7 pm
Aug 21 – BREWERTON – Riverfront Park – 7 pm
Aug 22 – SYLVAN BEACH – Location TBA – 6:30 pm
Aug 23 – ROME – Bellamy Harbor – 6:30 pm
Aug 24 – FRANKFORT – Frankfort Marina – 6:30 pm
Aug 26 – CANAJOHARIE – Riverfront Park – 6:30 pm
Aug 27 – AMSTERDAM – Riverlink Park – 6:30 pm
Aug 28 – SCHENECTADY – Gateway Landing Park – 6:30 pm
Aug 29 – WATERFORD – Lock 2 Park – 6:30 pm
Aug 30/31 – CAPITAL DISTRICT – Location TBA – 6:30 pm
Sept 1 – HUDSON, NY – Henry Hudson Riverfront Park – 6:30 pm
Sept 2 – SAUGERTIES – Tina Chorvas Waterfront Park – 6:30 pm
Sept 3 – KINGSTON – Kingston Point Beach – 6:30 pm
Sept 4 – POUGHKEEPSIE – Kaal Rock Park – 6 pm
Sept 5 – BEACON – Long Dock Park – 6 pm
Sept 6 – HAVERSTRAW – Emeline Park – 6 pm
Sepy 7 – NYACK – Memorial Park – 6 pm
Sept 9 – HOBOKEN, NJ – Hoboken Cove
Sept 10 – NEW YORK CITY
Sept 11 – NEW YORK CITY
Sept 12 – NEW YORK CITY – Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sept 13 – NEW YORK CITY
Sept 14 – NEW YORK CITY

We are still nailing down a few locations – keep checking back.
All shows are for all ages and free to attend.
Donations keep us afloat!

 

WHAT IS FLOTSAM RIVER CIRCUS?
Flotsam is a troupe of musicians, circus performers, and puppeteers who travel on a ramshackle raft giving free performances in waterfront towns. Our goal is to bring some magic and whimsy to the world while helping communities engage with their waterways. Flotsam is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

 

WE’RE LOOKING FOR HELP:
If you live anywhere along this route, we’d love to hear from you: [email protected]

Flotsam exists with your support. If you’d like to help keep us afloat, you can Venmo us at ‘rivercircus’ or donate HERE.

 

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Electric Houseboats Cruising the Erie Canal

3 January 2022
Categories: Boat the Erie Canal, Cayuga/Seneca Canals, Champlain Canal, Eastern Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Western Erie Canal

The E-Houseboat is being designed and built to be the first all-electric propelled and powered houseboat commercially available within the US.

The design team at East Coast Houseboats has been actively working on a completely unique way of building houseboats, and the E-Houseboat will be the first to benefit from this method. 

Starting with a fiberglass pontoon platform, the hulls are designed to minimize weight and provide less resistance as it travels down the waterway.  The cabin is built completely with lightweight composite materials but without sacrificing the level of year-round comfort that is common to our standard boat designs

East Coast Houseboats has been fortunate enough to partner with marine industry leaders such as Yanmar Mastry and Glendenning Marine to provide the propulsion and control engineering.

The design includes the necessary infrastructure to not only propel the boats, but re-charge it’s battery bank as she plies the Erie Canal in part due to the large rooftop array of lightweight solar panels.

 Capitalizing on the latest lithium-Ion battery technology, controls, and propulsion from industry leaders, and including features such as 12v led lighting throughout, 12v refrigeration, 12v HVAC.  All of which include products chosen for their ability to be integrated into the overall design and build of the boat.

 

At 30’ LOA, with a beam of 12’ the E-Houseboat will comfortably accommodate a family or 4 as a cruising houseboat or can be configured as the perfect day boat anchored in a cove. 

Looking to design your own version, we can build these boats from 22’ to 30’ and in beams from 10’ to 15’9”.  The engineering can be configured to focus less on daily cruising and more on daily living, as an example these boats could be completely off the grid cabins located in remote locations.

Outdoor spaces include a front deck, as well as a large roof deck space perfect for great views and sunsets.

E-One the first boat of its kind is scheduled to launch on the waters of the Erie Canal System in New York during the 2024 Navigation season.  The boat during its sea trials will be available for lock tours, boat shows and on the water events throughout the year.  E-One will then be available for bareboat charters on the Erie Canal. 

 

1.5 Billion Dollars Generated Annually Through Events Along The Erie Canal

19 May 2018
Categories: Bike/Hike the Canals, Boat the Erie Canal, Canal Road Trips, Cayuga/Seneca Canals, Champlain Canal, Eastern Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Uncategorized, Western Erie Canal

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor just released a study which shows that an estimated 1.5 billion dollars is generated annually by events such as boat tours, bicycle and paddle-sport rentals and historic site and museum tours along the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Events and tours drew more than 3.3 million visitors in 2017
Erie Canalway commissioned this study in part to determine the impacts of tourism throughout the Canal Corridor. The analysis was conducted by Level 7 Market Research  and supported by a grant from Market New York through I Love NY.
Over the last 10 years, the number of events along the Canal system has increased dramatically to include concerts, art festivals, cycling and paddling events as well as celebrations of local foods and beverages and events that focus on history and heritage. The NYS Canal Corporation website calendar listed more than 470 events.
The Erie Canal from Waterford to Brewerton is scheduled to open on May 15th. weather permitting with the entire canal system scheduled to open on May 18th.
In 2018 events include the 20th. Anniversary of Cycle The Erie Canal Bike Tour organized by Parks & Trails New York and the cross-canal journey of the Corning Museum of Glass GlassBarge, traveling with the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s Canal Schooner Lois McClure
For the full Canal Event Analysis and Visitor Research Study, click here.
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York, encompassing the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities.  Read the entire report

Canal Clean Sweep 2018

18 April 2018
Categories: Cayuga/Seneca Canals, Champlain Canal, Eastern Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Uncategorized, Western Erie Canal

Each year to correspond with Earth Day, communities and organizations up and down the Canal organize to clean the banks of the Canal  This year 38 separate events are scheduled.   This event now in it’s 8th. year continues to grow in size.

To learn more about all the events along the Canal visit the https://www.ptny.org/events/canal-clean-sweep

Canal Clean Sweep Lyons NY 2017

Barge Canal Centennial Celebrations Planned For Rochester

18 April 2018
Categories: Bicentennial, Cayuga/Seneca Canals, Champlain Canal, Eastern Erie Canal, History, Oswego Canal, Western Erie Canal

We currently travel on the third generation of the Erie Canal, commonly referred to as the “Barge Canal” 2018 celebrates the centennial of the opening of this version of the Canal system. The fact that we travel today on infrastructure designed and built 100 years ago is a great testament to the engineers and builders of the Barge Canal and the foresight of NYS to embark of its construction

The Canal Society of New York State in conjunction with the New York State Canal Corp and in partnership with the Centennial Celebration Committee are hosting two events to mark the centennial opening of the Erie Barge Canal in 2018.

When: Saturday May 5th. Canal Conversation & Symposium

Theatre at Stong Museum of Play Rochester

Join the conversation at this daylong public forum in which presenters discuss canal history and its continued value today and for the future. Registration $40, includes breakfast, coffee breaks and lunch.

Thursday May 10th. Centennial Celebration: Watering of the Erie Barge Canal

East Guard Lock just west of Kendrick Rd.

Witness the re-creation of the first inflow of water into the 20th century Erie Canal as “Teddy Roosevelt” sponsors, and other dignitaries greet the public and ceremoniously commemorate the event using the authentic shovel used 100 years ago on May 10th. 1918. Dignitaries will also unveil a bronze plaque to celebrate the designation of the NYS Canal System as a National Historic Landmark. FREE

Canal by Coach Tour: Following the festivities join Canal Society of New York State President Emeritus Tom Grasso and other experts for a guided tour by motor coach of the remarkable canal sites in eastern Monroe County Registration: $60. Includes lunch, bus, printed guide and more.

History:

On the morning of May 10th. 1918 a group of engineers, contractors, workers and a few prominent citizens gathered on the east side of the Genesee River in Genesee Valley Park to inaugurate a monumental, audacious and revolutionary accomplishment in New York State’s long and storied canal history. Water for the first time was let into the newly completed expansion of the Erie Canal or “Teddy Roosevelts Ditch”. Five days later the new Erie-Barge Canal was opened for through traffic from the Great Lakes to the Hudson River. A new era had begun.

Sponsors: New York State Canal Corporation, Canal Society of New York State, Create a Brand, City of Rochester, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, Bergman Associates, and John & Eve Graham.

To register for either of the events, click here

http://www.newyorkcanals.org             http://www.bargecanal100.com

Schenectady County Erie Canal History Events Set

28 February 2018
Categories: Eastern Erie Canal, History

New York State is celebrating the bicentennial of the Erie Canal’s creation this year with a campaign to “Reimagine the Canal.”

A series of conversations focused on economic and environmental sustainability of the historical Mohawk river towns will be held in Schenectady County beginning March 8th.

These events will kick-off with a presentation by some of the region’s leading experts on the Erie Canal, followed by dialogue on how re-imagining the canal and river can help community revitalization and sustainability in the region.

Thurs., March 8, 7 pm, The first speaker will be David Brooks, education director at the Schoharie Crossing Visitors Center. Brooks’s talk “Through the Mire” looks at the environmental factors and impact of constructing the canal. Location: ECOS Headquarters, Niskayuna Community Center, 2682 Aqueduct Rd. The ECOS annual all-member meeting will be held at 5:30 pm to discuss 2018-19 priorities and elect new board members (membership required to vote, but all are welcome).

Wed., March 21, 6 pm, there will be a presentation by Brad Utter, the senior historian and curator for science and technology at the New York State Museum in Albany who curated the museum’s current exhibit, “Enterprising Waters:New York’s Erie Canal.” He will talk about the exhibit and how he put it together, as well as his favorite stories about the canal and those who conceived and built it. Location: McChesney Room, Schenectady County Public Library, 99 Clinton St., Schenectady.

Tues., April 24, 7 pm, Jack Kelly of Ulster County, author of the book Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold and Murder on the Erie Canal (St. Martin’s Press) will speak. Kelly is a journalist, novelist and historian whose book, according to a New York Times review, “engagingly juxtaposes the challenges confronting the dreamers who envisioned a link between the Atlantic, the Great Lakes and the apocalyptic cauldron brewing upstate…. [as] Mormons and Freemasons, joined with Welsh and Irish laborers recruited from Manhattan’s Five Points, carved the canal from rock and mud, thrusting them into a volatile existence.” Location: Schenectady Community College, 78 Washington Ave, Schenectady.

RSVP is encouraged, but not required for the March events. Tickets for the April 24 event will be available for sale on ECOS’ website in April.

These events are part of the Discover the Mohawk initiative sponsored by the City of Schenectady, Schenectady County Metroplex Authority, and LandArt Studio, the Environmental Clearinghouse.

This post originated from the NY History Blog

 

 

 

Plans announced to close gap in Erie Canalway Trail in Onondaga County

25 February 2018
Categories: Bike/Hike the Canals, Eastern Erie Canal

 

New York state has released a concept plan that closes the gap in the Erie Canalway Trail System between Camillus and DeWitt. It would extend the recreation trail through an urban area.

From the start, bridging the 14-mile gap has been the most challenging part of creating a seamless trail that closely follows the path of the Erie Canal.

“This segment of the trail goes through the most heavily urbanized areas of Onondaga County,” said Town of DeWitt planner Sam Gordon.

Gordon says there are several elements of the Elevating Erie concept plan that addresses that, but the most visible is arguably a multi-use, landscaped trail and green space running down the center median of Erie boulevard from Syracuse into DeWitt. It’s something that could ultimately change the traffic pattern of a road that was once a main thoroughfare from DeWitt into Syracuse.

“Erie Boulevard itself was designed before 690 was built,” Gordon said.” So there is a lot of excess capacity along Erie Boulevard East. And part of this project will investigate reducing the number of travel lanes.”

Other aspects of what the state is calling the Elevating Erie Concept Plan include a trail bridge over 481 near the Butternut Creek Canal Park and connecting downtown to Onondaga County’s Loop the Lake trail. 

Lawmakers have approved spending almost $22 million to complete the trail as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Empire State Trail initiative. The project still needs final approval and there are opportunities for public input. Plans are for construction to begin next year so the trail would be in place by 2020.

Article originally written by Ellen Abbott

 

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