Intrinsic Qualities

31 Saturday Mar 2018

Posted by Eric Hamilton in Byway Administration, Historic Assets, Recreation, stewardship

Qualities What’s a scenic byway? …a road less traveled? “…a road or track not following a main route; a minor road or path.” Spring time is as good a time as any to reflect on what makes a byway.

All national scenic byways have at least one of the six intrinsic qualities: archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic. I think you will agree that the Mohawk Towpath Byway is rich with each one of these qualities and I would like to share share the thoughts, ideas, and suggestions that went into our Corridor Management Plan. It was put together by our “Advocacy Committee” under the guidance of the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor nearly two decades ago.

Let us look at each of these qualities, each with it’s own entry, and see if they are still as relevant today as they were twenty years ago. Your comments, ideas, and perspective would be greatly appreciated!

Cultural Intrinsic Qualities – see https://wp.me/p8Z8Z1-Sd

Natural Intrinsic Qualities – see https://wp.me/p8Z8Z1-RB

Recreational Intrinsic Qualities – see https://wp.me/p8Z8Z1-RN

Scenic Intrinsic Qualities – see https://wp.me/p8Z8Z1-ST

Our Story

09 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by Eric Hamilton in Historic Assets, Telling the Byway Stories

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The Canal Fest attracted a wide demographic as seen in this shot of the Glenville Traveling Museum.

The Friends of the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway is a membership organization of enthusiasts dedicated to preserving the historic, cultural, natural, recreational, agricultural, and scenic resources within the corridor of the Mohawk Towpath Byway. That’s our story. Or should I say, that’s my “elevator speech.”
Defining our story is the number one priority of the Friends.

…it isn’t just one story, but it is multiple versions of one story that is tailored to the various audiences that will be hearing the story. We may even want to encourage people to select their particular favorite audience, then craft the story so it will resonate with that particular audience,

points out Ray Patterson, one of our charter members, who lives in West Virginia.

Let me add that each of the Friends of the Byway has a number of stories about our communities and our heritage. Most of us can tell one or more personal stories that has developed as they have volunteered for the Byway over the years. Each of us has one or more stories that they remember from family, friends, second person accounts, books, or teachers.

This body of knowledge with hundreds of stories make up the Byway story. This rich heritage is what brings our Byway to life. Whether its a Native People’s story, natural history, colonial history, stories from the Industrial Revolution, Erie Canal stories, local genealogy, or stories of our communities these all are part of the Byway story and need to be preserved. Some of these stories change over time as more research in local history, archeology and geology adds more depth and authenticity.

It is important for us, individually, and as an organization to hold on to these stories and preserve them for future generations.

Visitors to the Byway want to hear (or read) these stories as a part of their Byway experience. When we repeat a Byway story with authenticity we provide the listener with an intimate look at what makes our Mohawk Towpath Byway unique among a network of 150 America’s Byways®.

Looking to Warmer Weather

03 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by Eric Hamilton in Historic Assets, Recreation

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Look for the Friends of the Mohawk Towpath Byway this weekend at the Adirondack Sports and Fitness Summer Expo at the Saratoga Springs City Center. The Expo is open from 10 AM until 5 PM on Saturday, March 7 and from 10 AM until 4 PM on Sunday, March 8. Features will include all kinds of ideas for summer fun from kayaking and cycling to birding. Find out where along the Byway you can take part in all of these activities.

We will also have a calendar of major festivals and events during the summer months, a brochure describing the Byway’s self guided tour, and membership information if you’d like to join the dynamic organization that is bringing major recreational improvements to the Mohawk Towpath Byway.

The Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor visited the Byway’s booth in a previous year.