The Erie Canal opened in 1825, and uses a gravitational system with no pumps to help propel boats up and down stream and connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. For decades, the canal was a thriving place for commercial goods to be transported, but its commercial use has diminished in recent years as transporting goods by truck has become more popular.
Still, many community exist around - and because of - the scenic canal, and Captain Mary Pat helps to raise awareness that the canal and its surrounding areas is a great tourist destination!
Mary Pat has been volunteering for six years to promote the canal: For four years, she flew to New York from her previous home in Kansas to give history tours to fourth graders. After relocating to New York, she was able to join the State Council on Waterways Board of Directors.
Mary Pat grew up in Rochester, New York and her first job was on a tug boat on the Erie Canal. She was instantly mesmerized by the canal and realized she wanted to spend the rest of her life on the water.
The canal is bordered by "tow paths" - lanes originally designated for horses, who would pull boats through the water. Now, the space is a gorgeous bike and walking path.
"You can ride for days just following the water on that path," Mary Pat said.
A painting of the Erie canal done in the 1830s.
The canal has 57 locks - gates that close behind a boat to raise the water level and allow the boat to move forward. The operation used to be funded by tolls, but since commercial use is down, the tolls no longer exist. Today, the Erie generates revenue for cruises and nearby B&Bs, but is having trouble finding funding to stay in business.
But that may start to change. Mary Pat points out that it's cheaper and more ecologically responsible to ship goods by boat rather than truck.
"You can move something with a gallon of diesel on a canal much farther than on a truck," she said.
New Yorkers could start to see the fruit of this change, literally. Upstate farmers are considering sending their fruit to the city via boat as early as this summer!
In April, Mary Pat helped organize an educational event about the canal in Manhattan.
"It was awesome," she said. "It was a packed house."
Because of the success of the first seminar, the State Council on Waterways plans to host another Erie Canal educational event in Manhattan in late summer or early fall. Check back with Classic Harbor Line's New York City blog for information and updates on Mary Pat and the Erie Canal and click here to read more about the history and uses of the Erie Canal!
