South Greece Junction Lock

South Greece Junction Lock. . , The third enlargement of the Erie Canal was begun in 1905, and completed in May 1918 when the new Barge Canal was dug through to the Genesee River at Genesee Valley Park. However, harbor facilities were not completed on the Genesee River above the Court Street Dam at that time. Thus it was necessary to continue to use the Enlarged Erie Canal which crossed the Genesee River in downtown Rochester on the Rochester Aqueduct., Because the new Barge Canal level was three feet higher than the level of the Enlarged Erie Canal, a Junction Lock was constructed in South Greece to allow canal vessels to go between the two levels. This Junction Lock operated for about five years until 1923. During the 1920's the Junction Lock was used as a dry dock, until it was finally blocked of and abandoned., The Junction Lock is located 1.1 miles east of Henpeck Park on the canal towpath. Theremains of the lock walls and canal prism can still be seen., [Top Photo:] Construction of the Junction Lock in March 1918. This view is from the Erie Canal east of the lock looking west toward the Barge Canal. The wooden cribs on the right will support the north walkway in the lock. Timber cranes were used to lift materials. Concrete from the mixer at upper left flows down the chute into the crane bucket and then into rail cars on the tracks in the canal bed., [Top Middle Photo:] Overall view looking east at the junction of the Erie Canal (left) and the Barge Canal (center) in April 1918. The formwork for the western wing wall of the Junction Lock and a timber construction crane can be seen at left., [Bottom Middle Photo:] The east gate of the Junction Lock in June 1918. See the long timbers used to open the gates and the foot bridge crossing above the lock. The lock tender stands in front of the right hand timber., [Bottom Photo:] The Greece Junction Lock was completed and the enlarged canal (New York State Barge Canal) was put in operation in May 1918. The Junction Lock allowed traffic on the old canal (which was 3" lower than the Barge Canal) to downtown Rochester until the Rochester harbor on the Genesee River was completed. Then the Rochester harbor was reached via the Genesee River, and the old canal section was abandoned.