Schoharie Crossing at Sixty - Part I

 The Bicentennial of the Erie Canal in 2025 provided a lot of wonderful  opportunities to share the history of the canal and Schoharie Crossing with folks all around the region and the state of New York. We reached across the state with programs, public initiatives from partners such as the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, NYS Canal Corporation, Parks & Trails New York, Canal Society of New York State, and others. Looking back at this past year, the foundation was set in the 1950’s. It was then, in 1955 that the Montgomery County Archivist and Historian,  Edward Sheehan wrote a prospectus for the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. The article was entitled “Fort Hunter Most Logical Site for Erie Canal Restoration, Museum”.

   By 1957, this idea had spurred the creation of the Fort Hunter Canal Society, led by active members of the  community such as Clarke Blair and Bill Hovey.  The year prior, the Canal Society of New York had been established in Buffalo to bring attention to the historic waterway.  Much of that interest can be accounted for in the fact that the new “Barge Canal” had transformed New Yorker’s connection to their historic and iconic canalway; More so here in the Mohawk Valley, as the canal was moved into the river.

   During the post WWII era, American’s and New Yorkers in particular took focus on their heritage as some began to slip away. Having experienced a global war that devastated much of Europe, and experiencing changes that come with booms in industry, New York reflected back on the canal’s importance. 

   By the late 1950’s, many of the canal “old timers” had faded away, and the iconic stone and timber canalway with them. As the ‘50’s broke into the turbulent 1960’s, Fort Hunter locals decided to do something about preserving the history of the canal in their backyards. Advocating for the NYS Legislature to establish a canal restoration museum and historic site, they were able to gain support that culminated in the 1966  establishment of Schoharie Crossing. 

   

   Between 1966 and 1987, Fort Hunter Canal Society members and NYS Dept. of Conservation
employees worked to maintain the site and its structures. Occasionally fighting the hands of time and coming up short.  By the late 1980’s the site had lost some structures and canal features continued failing. New emphasis was placed on saving what was left. Work was done on the canal store, the Enders House, the canal prisms, and a Visitor Center/Museum was established inside the old Quiri house. 

   Formal interpretative services, programming and events began then as the site was staffed up. ...We'll have more on the 60 Year History of Schoharie Crossing will be offered in future posts.