The Mohawk Valley & The Barge Canal

The Mohawk Valley and The Barge Canal. Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site. The Mohawk Valley has had a long history as a transportation corridor between the eastern seaboard and the Midwest. In colonial times, both Native Americans and European settlers used the Mohawk in its natural state. Flooding often halted travel in the spring and fall, while lack of water was problematic in the summer. The river's many rapids and waterfalls presented additional challenges. Portages, in which the boat was emptied and carried along with its goods around each obstacle, were a necessity in the river travel. , In the mid-1780s, wing dams were built to maintain a higher water level, and a short canal and locks eliminated a major portage at Little Falls. These improvements were of limited success, and floods continued to be a major problem. , The original 1820s Erie Canal avoided the river and its problematic flooding. Throughout the valley, the canal was hand-dug completely separate from the Mohawk. The opening of the Barge Canal in the Mohawk on May 15, 1916, brought the story of traffic on the fiver full circle. As in the beginning, the river once more became an integral part of travel across New York State. , Several Erie Canal-related structures are preserved across the river at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site. Please feel free to stop by and investigate some of the history on New York's intrastate waterway.