Erie Canal Locks #20 (Original) and #29 (Enlarged Empire) east of Fort Hunter, NY

Enlarged: (HAER; Satellite, "about a mile east of Schoharie Creek Aqueduct" [ErieCanal])

Erie Canal Overview

HAER NY,29-FORHU,2C--2, 1970
North end. - Erie Canal (Enlarged), Empire Lock Number 29, Fort Hunter, Montgomery County, NY

"Significance: Part of the remaining fabric of a historic transportation system. Adjacent to remains of Empire Lock No. 20, part of DeWitt Clinton's Big Ditch of 1822. Its 8-foot lift replaced the original 4-foot lock. Improvements were made on Lock 29 in 1885." [HAER_data]

I do not understand why the Enlarged lock number is higher than the "Clinton Ditch" lock number. There were more locks on the Clinton Ditch than the Enlarged Canal. And in every other case where the locks were close, the Clinton Ditch had the higher number.

I dropped the pin on the center divider, which is between the two lock chambers. Note the wall extending from the south chamber. The improvement made in 1885 is that one of the chambers in each lock was made longer. I think the caption for the above photo is wrong. I think the photo was taken from the south end looking a little east of North across the south chamber, the center divider and the north chamber. Note the notch about halfway along the south chamber. That would have been the original length of the chamber at the end of the center divider.

Satellite

The stones are looking a little rough and nature is gaining.

ErieCanal
"'Erie Canal National Historic Landmark, Glen and Florida, Montgomery Co., NY' (Oct. 1983) -- View southeast across Empire Lock (from National Park Service site)."

Someone has taken a much needed chainsaw to the area. But Roundup is needed on the vegetation growing out of the lock walls.

ErieCanal, this is one of several 2007 photos on this webpage
"'Empire' Lock No. 29 -- lengthened south chamber looking east; north chamber at upper left."

Joel Torres posted two photos with the comment:

Enlarged Erie Canal 

"Empire Lock 29" 

Fort Hunter N.Y.

Thomas Constantine: Up to date pic?

Joel Torres: Thomas Constantine a few yrs old

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