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Replica Canal Boat Lois McClure To Dock in Rochester- Area ports as part of Canal Bicentennial Celebration

Authentic Replica of 1800s Canal Boat Inviting Public Aboard in Canal Communities

For Immediate Release: 07/31/17

Residents of, and visitors to, the Rochester/ Finger Lakes region can step aboard an authentic replica of an 1800s Canal boat, and step back through time over the next two weeks as the Lois McClure – a replica of an 1862 sailing canal boat – docks in Fairport, Rochester, Spencerport and Holley as part of a season-long voyage along New York’s historic canals.

The New York State Canal Corporation and the state Department of Environmental Conservation have partnered with the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to bring the Lois McClure to the canal corridor as part of a year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the start of construction for the Erie Canal, an occasion that has sparked a summer of celebrations statewide. The groundbreaking of the Erie Canal was held in Rome, N.Y. on July 4, 1817.

The Lois McClure is carrying a cargo of tree seedlings provided by DEC that will be delivered to canal communities during its journey. These seedlings help tell the story of white oak and white pine, the wood used to build canal boats in the 19th century.

The schedule for public boarding in these communities is:

  • Fairport – August 1, 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Rochester (Corn Hill Landing) – August 4-5, 12 noon to 8 p.m.
  • Spencerport – August 7, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  • Holley – August 8, 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For more information and a complete schedule for the Lois McClure, visit http://www.lcmm.org/our_fleet/lois_mcclure_schedule.htm

Media representatives who wish to arrange for a tour or ride aboard the Lois McClure, please contact Eloise Beil at (802) 475-2022 ext. 107 or eloiseb@lcmm.org

About the New York State Canal Corporation

New York’s canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique and historic communities. In 2017, New York is celebrating the bicentennial of the start of the Erie Canal’s construction.

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Contact

Steven Gosset
Steven.Gosset@nypa.gov
Media Relations
(914) 390-8192