Tag Archives: Mohawk Towpath Byway

The Remarkable, Irresistible Erie

02 Friday Sep 2022

Posted by in Event, Folklore, Historic Assets, Mohawk Towpath, Telling the Byway Stories, tourism experience

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

The Friends of the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway proudly partner with Old Songs, Inc to bring this unique program to the Clifton Park Halfmoon Library on September 24 at 2 PM free admission.  This 90-minute musical concert, telling stories of the people, the places, and the history of the original and enlarged Erie Canal, Presented in song with narration.

The Concert features songs by folklorist and historian George Ward, Canadian Joe Grant, Dan Berggren & Jean Ritchie along with other traditional Erie songs.

Musicians and singers: George Wilson, fiddle, bass and banjo; Paul Draper, vintage mango; George Ward, concertina; Annie Rosen, ukulele; Jonny Rosen, guitar; Kate Blain, guitar; Alan Thompson, piano.

The program is produced and directed by our own Andy Spence.  Old Songs, Inc. can be reached at P O Box 466, Voorheesville, NY. 12186.  Their executive director is Joy Bennett joy@oldsongs.org

Join us at the Clifton Park Halfmoon Library Saturday, September 24 at 2 PM. The program is free and open to the public.

Bridged!

08 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by in Bringing Tourists to the Byway, Event, Mohawk Towpath, recreational assets

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

The first half of the 100 foot pedestrian bridge arrived for installation at the site of a former farmers bridge just east of Clutes Dry Dock. The photo was captured by Larry Syzdek.

This is the crowning touch to improving recreational access to the Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve. Construction including approach pathways, parking lot improvements, and soil stabilization will be complete by the end of October. Once complete the bridge will be opened for our (public) use.

We have once again bridged the historic 1842 enlarged Erie Canal. The farm fields to the right have long been abandoned and is now a remote forested “important birding area”. The Community Connector Trail behind trees to the right was (from 1842 to 1907) the towpath for the Erie Canal. the To the left is the site of a bustling canal community also abandoned in 1907 and now ripe for archaeological investigation and interpretation.

“…low bridge! Everybody down…”

To see a video of the action from fastening together to actual placement watch a video from the Town of Clifton Park’s FaceBook page.

Farmer’s Bridge

07 Monday Sep 2020

Posted by in Historic Assets, Mohawk Towpath, recreational assets

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

The re-construction of the Farmer’s Bridge east of Clutes Dry Dock is progressing. A good vantage point without crossing a “trail closed” sign is from the west side of Clutes Dry Dock. Access from the small trailhead across from Male Drive. Then hike east a half mile down the historic 1825 Erie Canal towpath.

I can only speculate that they are working on the temporary crane pad and the forms for the bridge footings. This is the view from the footbridge that Leo Coons and his Scout troop recently built.

A week ago Sue Lasker captured this image on the south side of the Towpath Community Connector Trail. The trail is shown in left foreground.
A week ago Sue Lasker captured this image on the south side of the Towpath Community Connector Trail. The trail is shown in left foreground.

Exciting Things Coming

03 Wednesday Jun 2020

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Some exciting projects are in the works to improve the recreation facilities in the middle of the Mohawk Towpath Byway’s corridor. The Town of Clifton Park and their contractor will be holding a reconstruction meeting early in June. The most notable improvement will be a new pedestrian bridge over the 1842 enlarged canal east of Clute’s Dry Dock, with associated trail and parking improvements. Construction will be happening this summer into early fall, with timing riding on delivery of a pre-fabricated pedestrian bridge.  Arrangements are being made with the Town’s contractor, Bette & Cring. A pre-construction meeting is planned for next week, at which time we’ll expect to have a more detailed schedule.   Barton & Loguidice will be conducting construction inspection on the Town’s behalf.  

The entrance to the preserve at Clutes Dry Dock will change dramatically over the summer and may be closed during critical stages of construction.

A second project to construct a footbridge to the right in the background will connect to the 1825 towpath trail. Eagle Scout candidate Leo Coons is organizing this effort. This project will start this week as timber beams crafted by Amish are delivered! 

Docks for hand-launched car top craft: canoes/kayaks within the Clute’s Dry Dock basin will be removed for repair and maintenance offsite. The docks will be returned and set back into place once the main bridge construction project is substantially complete. 

Early Frontier

21 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

The Mohawk Towpath Byway’s latest kiosk will be dedicated on Saturday, September 28 at 11:30 AM. The kiosk is located strategically near the bike/pedestrian path entrance to the City of Schenectady at Gateway Landing Park. The kiosk describes the role the historic Stockade area played as the early Frontier. The reverse panel explains the role of bateau as the preferred watercraft before the Erie Canal improved navigation along the Mohawk Valley.

Join us for a tuly unique historical experience! Together we’ll reflect on and celebrate the renaissance of Schenectady’s waterfront. The 2nd Albany Militia, expert 18th century re-enactors, will be on station to show off their reproduction bateau. Of course, well have complimentary refreshments!

Nearby, the Stockade Historic district will be running its biennial Walkabout – a showcase of music, costumed interpreters well as many of the oldest and most beautiful homes in Schenectady (tickets $25 each). Truly, it will be a full-day celebration of Schenectady’s storied past.

The kiosk was funded in part by the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the New York State Scenic Byways Program at the New York State Department of Transportation. A local match for this funding was provided by the coalition of municipalities along the Byway corridor including Waterford, Cohoes, Halfmoon, Colonie, Clifton Park, Niskayuna and Schenectady. Content for the interpretive message was a joint effort by the Stockade Association, Schenectady County Historical Society, miSci, and Friends of the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway. Schenectady County Department of Public Works installed the kiosk during the summer.

To get to the Gateway Landing Park from State Street in Schenectady take the exit ramp on the right as you approach the Western Gateway Bridge. Look for the Rotary International sign on the right. From Scotia take the first exit ramp on the right to Schenectady County Community College and keep turning right under the approach to the Western Gateway Bridge. Gateway Landing Park will be on the left.