Until next year… that’s a wrap on an awesome extended navigation season for the Canal system!
We’re beyond grateful for the hundreds of employees across Canals and NYPA who keep our canals flowing smoothly. Maintaining and operating these iconic waterways is hard work, and these folks connect our communities every day.
This year was one for the history books! Our Erie Canal bicentennial commemoration season was a blast, filled with epic events and incredible community love.
Check out our video recap above (and some below!) that’s sure to make you smile. Dive in and relive the highlights with us! Thanks for being part of our journey.
Culminating Bicentennial Ceremony
On October 26, the Erie Canal reached a milestone 200 years in the making—and what a commemoration it was! Governor Kathy Hochul, Canal Corporation leadership, and hundreds of well-wishers gathered at Pier 26 in New York City to welcome the replica Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief as it completed its historic journey from Buffalo to New York Harbor after its 33-day journey.
The arrival of the Seneca Chief recreated Governor DeWitt Clinton’s original 1825 voyage, but this time with an eye firmly fixed on the future. After making 28 stops along the Erie Canal and Hudson River since departing Buffalo on September 24, the boat’s arrival symbolized more than a look back—it marked our passage into the Canal’s third century of operation.
In a moment that bridged past and present, the Governor was introduced by 15-year-old DeWitt Silber—the great-great-great-great-great-grandson of DeWitt Clinton himself. Talk about a full-circle moment!
Here are a few other highlights of our bicentennial season:
Honoring the Past, Planting the Future: Throughout the Seneca Chief‘s 28-stop journey, Eastern White Pine trees were planted at each location—a powerful symbol of both the Haudenosaunee people’s strength and a commitment to the Canal’s sustainable future, acknowledging our More Voices initiative.
The Tree of Peace planting ceremony, featuring an Eastern White Pine, for the Haudenosaunee people. October 2025. A Year to Remember: The NYC celebration was the capstone to a year of events, from September’s World Canals Conference in Buffalo to WMHT’s Reflections on the Erie Canal documentary. Plus, another iconic NY landmark—Niagara Falls—was lit up in blue and yellow to recognize the Erie Canal bicentennial.
Niagara Falls is illuminated in blue & gold in honor of the Erie Canal bicentennial. October 2025. Third Century, Here We Come! As we sail into our third century, the focus shifts to the recently published Canal Recreationway 2050 Plan, which will guide our work to build a more resilient, accessible, and innovative waterway for generations to come.
To cap off the Bicentennial celebrations in New York City, the Canal Corporation and the New York State Archives Partnership Trust co-hosted a special discussion at the historic Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.
Following a welcome from First Gentleman William J. Hochul, Jr., panelists Dr. Jennifer Burns, Brad L. Utter and Mitchell L. Moss explored the Canal’s profound impact on the growth of the city and the nation.
Thank you to everyone who made this bicentennial year so special.
Here’s to the next 200 years!
