SAVING OUR VANISHING HERITAGE

Photo of the Richmond Aqueduct by Dennis Stierer, Lockport, NY

How we as small communities act—or fail to act— in the coming years will determine if we save our heritage, and realize the untapped economic opportunities our heritage and the sites it represents serves our communities. Saving Our Vanishing Heritage is a critical call to action to alert our communities that we need to focus precious investment of time, creativity, and funds on heritage conservation, a strategy that has proven to be one of the most effective and targeted ways to help communities thrive. 

If heritage defines our culture and tells us who we are, why is it so often ignored in our communities or considered of little importance? Why is it that our historic sites and landmarks that represent our common past are given no significant attention, investment or interest when it comes to preservation? Why is it not being seen as an opportunity to satisfy an emotional need that would give us a connection to the place we live and the potential to enhance our lives. Wouldn’t it follow that when our lives are enhanced our community would appear less depressed and experienced as a healthier and more stable place to live. 

Imagine if the Statue of Liberty or Mount Rushmore —the very symbols of the American nation—were damaged and destroyed through neglect or mismanagement. Loss and destruction is the status quo for many of our most significant national treasures that helped form our country are being ignored in our smaller rural communities, but no less significant. Over time our cultural and historic sites have been damaged and ignored of their importance. Much of this loss can be controlled through better planning, community involvement, and management, but these are often missing in smaller communities where the need is the greatest. Often we see our small towns and villages as insignificant with no ability to do anything about it blaming it on lack of manpower and money so we lapse into a powerless, conditioned pattern of thought that it’s useless to even try.  What we are giving up on is our duty and responsibility and the power we have to preserve our heritage for future generations. We are giving up on our greatest asset – our human potential to make a difference and serve our communities with our inherited gifts and abilities. We need to wake up to these abilities and find creative ways to come together on how to accomplish this. We need to let our elected officials know that we care and that we are here to use our skills and creative ideas to support and lend a hand to preserve what is important to us.

CANAL SPLASH EVENT A SUCCESS!

Richmond Aqueduct site on the Canal Splash Tour 

A beautiful warm August day helped bring out twenty visitors for the Erie Canal Splash Historic Tour Walk in Montezuma on August 13th. Mike Riley led another interesting tour along the Byron Lapp Memorial Towpath Trail explaining the historic sites and how Montezuma played an important role in New York's canal history.
 (Photo compliments of Ed Laraway)

Marian Ellinwood, Volunteer of the Year shares a special moment with her family

Following the tour a Community Picnic was held at Memorial Park to honor Marian Ellinwood as Volunteer of the Year. She was recognized for over 35 years of dedicated service to the Town of Montezuma.  Anyone who has lived here and voted I'm sure can always remember Marian's smiling face greeting us on Election Day.  A special surprise for the day was Marian and Don's son, Ricky was able to be at the recognition. He was transported from Newark Hospital to proudly see his mother receive the award. Marian made special note in receiving the award to share her sediments for the community she lives in with friends and neighbors who have generously helped in many ways while her and Don have visited Ricky everyday since his hospitalization nearly two years ago.

CANAL SPLASH MOVIE NIGHT

Plans are in the works for the Canal Splash Celebration this year on Saturday, August 13th.  Following the tour of sites in Montezuma, there will be a picnic in Memorial Park, and a rare showing of a classic film in the town hall that depicts life as it was on the Erie Canal in upstate New York set in the mid-19th century.

"The Farmer Takes a Wife" opened as a 1934 Broadway play based on a novel, "Rome Haul"  by Walter D. Edmonds.  This film is the 1953 movie version of “A Farmer Takes a Wife,” starring Betty Grable and Dale Robertson. The movie was based on Walter Edmond’s novel "Rome Haul," and is a tale of love and conflict along the Erie Canal.

2011 FOLLOWING THE FLOW CANAL SPLASH TOUR - AUGUST 13TH

Mike Riley has posted the schedule for this year's Following the Flow Canal Splash Tour. For information and updates visit: http://canalsplash.blogspot.com. This is a joint program sponsored by the historical societies of Weedsport, Port Byron and Montezuma.

Montezuma's Canal History: Where it All Began

Both photos are located on the west side of Route 90 

near the present-day firehouse. 

This is the site of the junction of the Erie and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. 

The Exchange Hotel in the older picture burned in 1917. The abutement 

from the crossover bridge 

still remains today near the entrance of the trail

 leading into the proposed Montezuma Heritage Park

On August 14, 2010, the Montezuma Historical Society joined with the Old Brutus Historical Society and Lock 52 Historical Society to offer a combined historic site canal tour in Cayuga County.  Representatives from Jordan also joined us to begin the tour at the Jordan/Weedsport line at the site of Lock 51.  Both guided and self-guided tours were scheduled for the day. Mike Riley, Canal Historian lead the guided tours with five stops between Jordan and Montezuma. 

The event was part of the statewide 5th Annual Canal Splash of locally organized events to celebrate the history, recreational appeal and beauty of the New York Canal System and Erie Canalway Trail.  Folks got to visit many of the sites starting at the trail head pictured here that will be featured in the Heritage Park, including the magnificent Richmond Aqueduct pictured in our blog heading. 

For more information, including downloads on the historic sites in Cayuga County visit the Canal Splash blog which will continue to be updated with new information for tours whether you are looking to explore the sites on your own or join in future tours; visit:  http://canalsplash.blogspot.com