A series of grants is aimed at getting people involved in the rich history of the Erie Canal once more.
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, in partnership with the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund, started the year off by awarding $43,700 in grants to assist seven organizations with canal-related education, preservation and tourism projects.
Three organizations from the Capital District on Friday, Jan. 13, formally received grant checks: the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, New York Folklore Society based out of Schenectady and the Albany Institute of History and Art.
Congressman Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, said there is a strong “sense of place” to the Erie Canal and it is important to preserve the history of the state’ original industrial corridor.
“The genius that came about through the development of the canal that gave birth to a necklace of communities called mill towns that became the epicenters of invention and innovation is a powerful thought in and of itself,” Tonko said.
Continuing to do the “storytelling” and connecting the community to the heritage of the region is important, Tonko said, so future generations can continue to learn about the important history.
“These are powerful agents that then become the extension of expression… chapters upon chapters of history and heritage that inspire us,” Tonko said. “It was a passageway that gave birth to great opportunity and enhanced the quality of life for Americans.”
The New York Folklore Society was awarded a $7,000 grant to develop a two-day symposium exploring the Erie Canal’s connection to traditional music in the state. The symposium is planned to include panel discussions, musical performances and there will be a post-symposium interactive website.
“The Erie Canal in history has both been the inspiration for music and song traditions and for the movement of musical traditions along the corridor,” said Ellen McHale, executive director of the New York Folklore Society. “The symposium that we will be launching will look at the role of music and provide a venue to celebrate the music of both yesterday and today.”
The society is partnering with the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse. Lisa Overholser, staff folklorist of the society, said she doesn’t think people are familiar with the canal’s role in music tradition and history.
Another Schenectady-based award recipient, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, received a $6,030 grant to develop a mobile audio tour exploring the history and impact of the canal in Schenectady. The tour is planned to highlight technological development spurred by the canal’s construction, how it impacted nearby residents and how it brought growth and investment to Upstate New York.
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity, it is a new technology for us,” said Kerry Orlyk, executive director of the Schenectady Museum. “Since we changed our mission in 2004, we have been looking for ways to incorporate technology with history or art and this is the perfect opportunity to introduce that to the museum and the region.”
The tour would have a number anyone can dial into at various stops and locations throughout Schenectady County. The entire tour would be available in sections and also without having to visit the local sites, because the intention is to make it downloadable on the Internet. There is also the possibility to create a smartphone app, so as to incorporate different images and videos.
The Schenectady Museum isn’t the only one looking towards technology, though.
The Albany Institute of History and Art was awarded a $5,500 grant to develop a lesson plan using art and artifacts from its collection to help students explore the canal’s history. The program will also utilize technology for video conferencing, which will be hosted on its website. This will give students not able to visit the museum a way to experience the program.
“It allows us to not only talk to children within the city of Albany, but children throughout the state and telling them about the great history and rich history of the Erie Canal,” said David Carroll, executive director of the Albany Institute.
