Erie Canal - The Trip back East - Phoenix to Waterford - August/Sept 2008
Continuing our eastward journey, we stopped once again in the town of Phoenix. The town was a tiny bit out of our way, being a couple of miles up the Oswego canal, but it's such a great town to visit we decided we couldn't resist stopping by one more time. While we were there, we met a couple of intrepid kayakers - Jon and Julie. They had started their journey near Syracuse and were heading on towards Oswego.
We were hanging out on the waterfront, when we noticed the American Waterways Wind Orchestra barge coming by and heading into the lock. The barge has a hydraulically operated stage that lifts up in the center. It also has an impressive set of horns! (OK, so maybe I do have a bit of horn envy - but I'll be this baby has enough horns to play 'Take Me Out to the Ball Park!')
It just barely fit into the lock - inches to spare on either side.
I don't know about you, but I was REALLY glad that we weren't in the lock when this big boy was coming in. Fortunately, the barge stopped just short of using this little cruiser in the front of the lock as a fender.
The Bridge House Brats of Phoenix that were on duty when we were here the second time. This is a great group of kids that work at the Phoenix public dock to help dock boats and also deliver breakfast and lunch from the local restaurants to picnic tables at the dock. They have the coolest club house - the old 3-story lockmaster's building.
Our next stop was at the town of Rome, where we visited the Revolutionary War fortification, Fort Stanwix. Known as "the fort that never surrendered," Fort Stanwix, under the command of Col Peter Gansevoort, successfully repelled a prolonged siege in 1777 by British, German, Loyalist, Canadian and American Indian troops and warriors commanded by British General Barry St. Leger.
I got to help with a demo on loading a revolutionary war cannon similar to the ones that they used to defend the fort during the war. My job was to use a twisted wire gadget to clean out any remains from the cannon bore, then to load the new shot and charge into the cannon. The rather bored looking young man who looks like he is leaning against the cannon in the photo to the right is actually holding his thumb over the primer hole to stop any air getting in while I load the shot. That way, if there is still anything burning down there, it won't get enough air to ignite until we are ready to shoot the cannon. Once I load the shot, the guy with the long stick in the photo to the right uses the fat end to ram the charge into the base of the cannon. Then they would aim the cannon, and light it. The soldiers trained so that they could prepare and shoot the cannon several times a minute. It took us several minutes just to set up for one shot. Clearly we need more training!
After showing us how to load one, they fired one of the cannons at the fort. Looking at where the cannon was aimed, I realized it's a good thing they use blanks!!
More volunteers practicing gun drills at the fort. We also found the tomb of the unknown Revolutionary War soldier located on the grounds of a nearby church. One of the volunteers at the fort told us about it - as he had been one of the pall-bearers during the burial. They found the remains of the unknown soldiers during some excavation work on the site, and decided to give them a proper burial.
On to the city of Utica. This is one of the largest cities along the eastern section of the Erie canal. It has some beautiful architecture, including this old bank building with the gilded dome shown below.
Utica is the home of the old Stanley Theater. The Stanley continues to bring many world-class entertainers and musicians to Utica including Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, James Galway, The Vienna Boys Choir, and The London City Opera - to name a few that have entertained here over the last few years.
We even saw the Chatter Box Cafe in Utica. I have to confess that we listen to the Prairie Home Companion on radio every week, and Garrison Keillor usually does a monolog about 'his home town' which usually involves the Chatter Box Cafe.
Last, but certainly not least, Utica is the home to the Matt Brewing Company, makers of Saranac beers. We went to pay homage, and hopefully get a tour (Jeremy is particularly fond of their Pomegranate Wheat Beer), but alas they were closed on the day we went. Yep, I know "Pomegranate Wheat - the beer every tugboat captain wants after a hard day out on the water." Well, at least that's what THIS tugboat captain wants.
I did see this sign at a nearby barber shop indicating that Tom, the owner, was 'takeing' his son to college. Hopefully his son will be 'taking' English.....
Closer to the waterfront and near the train station are the remains of the old Baggs Tavern. This was originally a log house built in 1794 by Moses Bagg. Washington, LaFayette, Henry Clay, and General Grant were all guests here. This is also the site of Fort Schuyler - built in 1758.
Fred - this sign is for you. My brother's name is spelled in the same way (no 'e' between the 'Fred' and 'rick'). See, you're not the only one!!
Our next stop eastward was Little Falls where we saw this beautiful old building, which is a Masonic Temple. The picture to the right is of the Little Falls Town Clock. Most towns along the Erie have a town clock set either on the main street or in a central square in town.
Leaving Little Falls and heading east again, we saw this tiny tug pulling a huge dredge barge. The thing sticking out in front of the barge is the dredge drill. Following the barge are all of the dredge pipes are lashed together along with another small Canal Corp. work boat. Quite a lot for such a little tug to be pulling.
We finally reached Waterford, which is the eastern terminus of the canal. We finished the canal, and I also finished piecing my big kaleidoscope quilt I've been working on for so long. I've named it 'Leap of Faith' since is was a huge leap of faith for me that it would all come together - especially the 14 points for the star in the center. Now to quilted it....
Uploaded November 13, 2008