Industrial History: Erie Canal SENECA CHIEF Replica Canal Boat

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Erie Canal SENECA CHIEF Replica Canal Boat

Aug 12, 2024 (Monday): John Kucko Digital posted four photos with the comment:

Seneca Chief on the Move: The Seneca Chief, a full-size replica of the boat that opened the Erie Canal 199 years ago, is on the move east—a test run (sea trial) for this vessel ahead of the Erie Canal bicentennial celebration in 2025. This replica was built through the efforts of hundreds of volunteers on behalf of the Buffalo Maritime Center. I’ve captured it today around Lockport, Gasport and Middleport. The boat, along with accompanying tug and skiff, will overnight in Medina this evening in Orleans County before proceeding east. They’ve got programs planned there from 4-7pm today. It’ll be in Brockport (11 Water Street) Tuesday afternoon and Rochester (280 Exchange Boulevard) Wednesday—they will have programs from 4-7pm both days in those locations before the Seneca Chief turns around and returns to Buffalo. Always enjoy seeing the eclectic mix of boats on this historic waterway—this is WONDERFUL! Buffalo Maritime Center

John Kucko Digital posted four photos with the comment:

Seneca Chief on the Move (update): It’s one of the neatest, most nostalgic things to happen in Western New York in quite some time. The building of the replica vessel, the Seneca Chief, took place from October, 2020 through June, 2024. The original Seneca Chief was the very first boat to travel the Erie Canal from Buffalo to New York City some 199 years ago in 1825. Folks at the Buffalo Maritime Center made it their mission to build a spectacular replica, one weighing 40 tons and measuring 73 feet [22m] in length, just like the original. It fast became one of the largest community boat building projects in the world. Today I caught the vessel in the midst of its test run, a sea test. I saw it in Lockport, Gasport, Middleport and Medina—where its overnighting before proceeding to Brockport Tuesday, then Rochester the next day. The public is invited to see this—events are happening to educate folks on this terrific project (see post from this morning). 2025 is an enormous year for the Erie Canal, a bicentennial year and this boat will make a “Bicentennial Voyage” from Buffalo to New York Harbor, traveling the length of the canal to do so. This will be done to commemorate Governor Dewitt Clinton’s very same voyage. The keel, frames and other timbers are made of white oak. the 60 foot [18m] long keelson is made of Douglas Fir. Over 200 volunteers contributed to the building of this stunning vessel. I met a little boy today between Middleport and Medina at the boat launch, his grandparents took him there to see this. He told me he wants to do a school research project on this for the coming school year—he loved what he saw. I was so happy to hear him say that. And this is exactly why this boat will be embarking on this journey. To educate and commemorate the most of iconic waterways in America. Without the Erie Canal, who knows how many of these cities, villages, towns and hamlets in the northeast would have become what they have. Today was a very enjoyable day! Buffalo Maritime Center

Russell Nowakowski commented on John's post

Dennis DeBruler: Russell Nowakowski For us out-of-staters who like canal history, which town is this?

Before I do photos about the sea trail, I found some photos of its construction.

Aug 18, 2021: Joseph Rennie posted six photos with the comment: "Installing the stem on SENECA CHIEF today."

Mar 25, 2022: Joseph Rennie posted five photos with the comment: "Buffalo Maritime Center's Seneca Chief."

Apr 14, 2022: Joseph Rennie posted four photos with the comment: "A stop at the Long Shed progress on SENECA CHIEF."

Jan 23, 2024: A 1:38 video of the construction in the group Buffalo Area Transportation, Industry, Architecture & Defense.

Apr 24, 2024: Scott Nourse posted seven photos with the comment:

Progress is being made on the Buffalo Maritime Center Seneca Chief project as we near the May 7th departure from the building. New “old timey” windows are being installed, the rear deck is being finished with copper flashing around openings, the cabin roof is being sealed, and the outdoor fixtures are being fabricated and installed. On May 7 it will be taken out of the building, put in the water at the Port Buffalo and return to the Commercial Slip, where the interior and remaining tasks will be completed. On May 25 we will have our celebratory arrival where we will bring it back into the slip with an official ceremony- please join us! (See the attached poster)

May 5, 2024: Joseph Rennie posted two photos with the comment: "Putting the finishing touches on the Seneca Chief 5/5/2024."

Scott Nourse commented on Joseph's post

One of the cargo doors being installed.

Scott Nourse commented on Joseph's post
Test fitting the transom.

May 7, 2024: Barbara Rickard posted two photos with the comment:

May 7th will be the launch of SENECA CHIEF. A boat 5 yrs in the making..as authentic a replica as Buffalonian volunteers could make. I went down a day early to make sure they were doing it right...got to meet Johnathan. He carved and painted the images on stern. Beautiful. He's a cool guy. Professor at Buffalo State who taught students his craft.

May 7, 2024:

0:39 video in the group Buffalo Area Transportation, Industry, Architecture & Defense
Seneca Chief headed OVER the Ohio Street Lift Bridge on Tuesday [May 7].
[The trailer has 9 axles.]

2:10 video in the group Buffalo Area Transportation, Industry, Architecture & Defense
[Around 0:47 you can see that the front and rear groups of 3 axles are steerable. The lady by the fire hydrant demonstrates that there is typically one person that doesn't have a clue about photo line etiquette. And they hold their phone vertically even though the subject is very horizontal.]

May 7, 2024: