HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOSTS NYS CANAL SOCIETY VISIT

After weeks of planning, the Little Falls Historical Society welcomed and hosted the NYS Canal Society for a two-day visit to Little Falls on Tuesday September 29 and Wednesday September 30.

The Canal Society has been in existence for over fifty years. Its primary purpose is to study and preserve New York State canals.

The organization’s visit kicked off Tuesday morning with both a several hour visit to the Old Bank Building Museum and a walking tour to view the Little Falls Historic Entry’s signage, historic markers, buildings, and monuments located in and around Ward Square. Around thirty-five Canal Society members took part in these two events.

On Wednesday, the Historical Society and the City of Little Falls jointly hosted sixty-one Canal Society members and other guests at Rotary Park for the purpose of viewing the five large-size Little Falls waterways historic panels created by Society members Missy Smith and Allison Maricle. Historical Society president Jeffrey Gressler first welcomed the group and then spoke about both the creation of the panels and the history of Rotary Park. Little Falls mayor Deborah Kaufman next addressed the large group assembled in the terminal building about the city’s historic connection to its waterways.

Later that same day, Canal Society members boarded the Lil Diamond II for a Mohawk River and Erie Canal tour of other local historical sites, including General Nicholas Herkimer Historic Home and Fort Herkimer Church. The group also enjoyed locking through Lock 17, the tallest lock on the Erie Canal.

Canal Society tour director Craig Williams thanked both the Historical Society and the City of Little Falls profusely for skillfully hosting their two-day visit to Little Falls.