NEWSLETTER
Saturday, November 12, 2:00 p.m.
Archaeology Uncovers: Canal Locks and Privies
Utica, N.Y. – The Chenango Canal was built between 1833-36 and connected Binghamton to Utica. It closed in 1878 due to competition from the railroads. Archaeological projects completed by the New York State Museum Cultural Resource Survey Program have uncovered remnants of original canal locks, sluiceways, and three residential privies. Archaeologist David Staley will share recent discoveries at the Oneida County History Center, Saturday, November 12 at 2:00 p.m. This program is free and open to the public.
Information about the construction and modification of the Chenango Canal is scarce compared to the Erie Canal. Excavations at the Lincoln Ave. site in Utica by the New York State Museum in 2013 uncovered pieces of the past deeply buried beneath the Route 5 arterial. These discoveries may be the only historical record of the engineers, craftsmen, and laborers who built the Chenango Canal and provide a picture of the neighboring residents who lived along the canal.
David Staley is a Principal Investigator for NYS Museum Cultural Resource Program. He specializes in historic archaeology, 19th-century farmsteads, transportation, and industry. He received his M.A. in Anthropology from Washington State University in 1990.
The Oneida County History Center is a private 501(c) (3) not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to preserving the history, heritage, and culture of the Greater Mohawk Valley for present and future generations, Please contact the History Center at 315-735-3642 or visit the OCHC website (www.oneidacountyhistory.org) for additional information.
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For Further Information Contact:
Patrick Reynolds at preynolds@oneidacountyhistory.org