Press Release
June 03, 2025
Paul Banks Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site Manager paul.banks@parks.ny.gov 518-829-7516
Improvements Unveiled at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Celebration of 200 Years of the Erie Canal
Updated interpretive and wayfinding signs installed
(Fort Hunter, NY) – A ribbon cutting was held on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 to celebrate recent improvements and the season opening at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site. The upgrades include a new roof, accessible ramp, and an interior paint job for the Ender's House, the site's main indoor program space. The work at Ender's House was supported by an Access for All fundraising campaign led by the Saratoga/Capital Region State Parks Commission to enhance accessibility for patrons. An accessible trail to the iconic large stone Schoharie Aqueduct is also under development.
"The accessibility improvements make Schoharie Crossing a more welcoming place, allowing a greater number of people to explore the grounds and engage with the story of the Erie Canal," said Heather Mabee, Chair of the Saratoga/Capital Region State Parks Commission. "Thank you to my fellow Commissioners and all who contributed to the Access for All campaign for making these upgrades a reality."
As the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal in 2025, new and updated interpretive signs detailing the development of the iconic waterway have been installed throughout the site. The interpretive signs help support the agency's Our Whole History Initiative to reveal and share historically under-told stories of ordinary and extraordinary people across New York State. The effort was led by the OPRHP Bureau of Historic Sites signage team and includes information on and wayfinding for The Empire State Trail, New York's 750-mile multiuse pathway which passes through Schoharie Crossing.
"The new interpretive signs tell a more complete story of the Erie Canal and the surrounding area, dating back to its time as a Mohawk village called Tiononderoge," said Paul Banks, Site Manager at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site. "As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Canal, we are excited to welcome visitors to learn how the Canal reshaped New York's economy, society and population in the 19th Century."
Also under restoration at Schoharie Crossing is the exterior of Putman's Canal Store at Yankee Hill, which was damaged by Tropical Storm Irene.
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, located 10 minutes from Amsterdam, NY, and Exit 27 on I-90, consists of three main areas, each featuring structures throughout the development of the Erie Canal. The most iconic is the large stone Schoharie Aqueduct which once carried water, boats and mule teams over the Schoharie Creek. Today, the site embraces itself both as a historic site and a recreation area offering great fishing, boating, hiking and birding for all. Click here for more information on the site. With the anniversary of the Canalway in 2025, Schoharie Crossing will be hosting a record number of programs and events at the site to commemorate the occasion.
The Erie Canal, completed in 1825 at 363 miles long, is the longest artificial waterway in North America connecting Albany to Buffalo, NY thus connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal was instrumental in the development of New York State and the entire Great Lakes region as it shipped millions of tons of goods from end to end and moved thousands of people to the west. Today with hundreds of miles of trails, 35 functioning locks, and over 34 National historic landmarks, the canal is a major recreational resource for biking, walking, and boating with over 1.5 million visitors yearly.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visits annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.