Day 26, 6.21.18, Lock 19

Little Falls is referred to as a jewel on the canal. There is an active art scene, and this week art was on display throughout towns in participating businesses. They also have a co-op store and many parks for a small town. The local Lions Club has been instrumental in establishing some of the parks.

Around 4pm we cast off and make it through the next lock before five. It's a long run to the next, where we tie up to the wall, right under the New York Central railroad bridge. There's a nice park here, and another sailboat is tied up above. We walk over for a short chat. Walking back to Eclipse, we meet a man strumming his guitar by the tracks. We say hi, and are soon discussing the state of the Mohawk valley, Utica and it's organized crime history, Amsterdam's struggles, businesses that have come and gone, and how it's hard to find a solution to the problems these towns and cities face. To finish our conversation we join in a rendition of 'City of NewOrleans.'

Strolling through the quaint city of Little Falls

Lock 17, the 40 foot canyon like "Guillotine" lock

The lock was rebuilt at the turn of the century, replacing the series of old locks with just one big one!

Gary and Fred inspect the remains of the old canal

Little Falls was once the largest exporter in the U.S. of cheese both domestically and to Europe!

There was much to learn at the Hysterical Museum in Little Falls

Historical archives at the museum

Eclipse is dwarfed at the gates of Lock 19 under the CSX railroad bridge

Amtraks's Lake Shore Limited barrels westbound toward Chicago

Thursday is a lovely day, and we spend most of it in the charming town of Little Falls. My Great, Great Grandfather, Samuel Page, lived here and ran a barber shop. The L. F. Historic Society opens at 1pm, so with my dad, we peruse their records to find what we can. The two volunteers are very helpful, and pull old town record books out of filing cabinets for us. We find his name in several of them, dating from the 1880s. Helen Alzina Page grew up here, and we found the address of their home and of the barber shop. The shop was right on the canal, with a door on the street for townspeople, and another on the canal path for canalwers. This was a time when townspeople and river people didn't get along well, so having two doors was a progressive move. 

Paul Whitney and Kristen singing "The City of New Orleans"