page_title: Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
section_title: The Enlarged Erie Canal
hierarchical_section_title: Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site / History / The Enlarged Erie Canal
context_page_description: Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, also known as Erie Canal National Historic Landmark, is a historic district that includes the ruins of the Erie Canal aqueduct over Schoharie Creek, and a 3.5-mile long part of the Erie Canal, in the towns of Glen and Florida within Montgomery County, New York. It was the first part of the old canal to be designated a National Historic Landmark, prior to the designation of the entire New York State Barge Canal as a NHL in 2017.
  Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site is the only location where all three phases of New York's Canals can be seen at once. In addition to the Schoharie Aqueduct, the only two remaining locks of the original canal can be found at Schoharie Crossing, as well as three enlarged canal locks and one barge canal lock.
context_section_description: Soon after the original Erie Canal was completed, traffic outgrew it. By the 1830s, it was decided that the entire length would have to be enlarged to keep up with growing trade.  The Enlarged Erie Canal construction era lasted from 1836 to 1862. During this time the overall length of the canal was reduced as well as number of locks. The canal locks were "doubled" - meaning that two chambers were constructed side by side.
  In Fort Hunter, the path of the canal was moved so that an aqueduct could be constructed across the Schoharie Creek. Construction began on the Schoharie Aqueduct in 1839 by Otis Eddy and was completed in 1841. Fourteen arches spanning 624 feet carried the Enlarged Erie Canal and towpath across the Schoharie Creek from 1845 until 1916.
  In the 1940s, the Army Corps of Engineers demolished the easternmost six arches of the aqueduct to alleviate ice jams. A seventh arch collapsed during a 1977 flood, and an eighth collapsed on August 16, 1998. Six arches remain standing today.
  The aqueduct was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
  The Schoharie Creek Aqueduct is on the Preservation League of NYS "Seven to Save" list for 2018-2019.
  The Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site includes many other remnants of the Enlarged Erie Canal.
  "Yankee Hill" Lock 28 and Putman's Canal Store are located off of Queen Anne Street. The lock was built during the enlargement in the 1840s. Putman's was built in 1856 by the family of Garrett Putman and was used as a canal store through the early 1900s.  There is a small exhibit inside the building about canal stores of the era.
  "Empire" Lock 29 is located just east of East Church Street in Fort Hunter. It was constructed in the 1840s by James Ott and is one of the best preserved locks from the enlarged Erie Canal.
  Lock 30 was built by James Stewart in the 1840s. In 1956, the lock was filled in and paved over to make way for an adjustment to Main Street.
caption: Putman's Canal Store with Lock 28, also known as "Yankee Hill" Lock, of the Enlarged Erie Canal in front.
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