Clyde in Wayne County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Towpath Trailhead
—
Empire State Trail
—
Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, April 9, 2025
1. Towpath Trailhead Marker
Inscription.
Towpath Trailhead. .
Lock No. 53. The ruins of Lock No. 53 are located just west of this location. Built in 1841 as part of the Enlarged Erie Canal, this double-chamber lock had a lift of 4.63 feet. The north chamber was double-length. ,
Sodus Ditch. In 1837, work began on a canal to connect Sodus Bay to the Erie Canal at Clyde. Digging continued intermittently until 1851, when the project was abandoned. The unfinished canal is located just north of this location. ,
Melvin Brook. In 1808, Jonathan Melvin, Jr. erected a “miserable shanty” on the north bank of the Clyde River, near the brook that bears his name. He was the first Supervisor of town of Galen. The site of Melvin’s cabin was just south of this location. ,
Towpath. From this location, you can follow the old Erie Canal towpath eastward, into the Village of Clyde.
Lock No. 53
The ruins of Lock No. 53 are located just west of this location. Built in 1841 as part of the Enlarged Erie Canal, this double-chamber lock had a lift of 4.63 feet. The north chamber was double-length.
Sodus Ditch
In 1837, work began on a canal to connect Sodus Bay to the Erie Canal at Clyde. Digging continued intermittently until 1851, when the project was abandoned. The unfinished canal is located just north of this location.
Melvin Brook
In 1808, Jonathan Melvin, Jr. erected a “miserable shanty” on the north bank of the Clyde River, near the brook that bears his name. He was the first Supervisor of town of Galen. The site of Melvin’s cabin was just south of this location.
Towpath
From this location, you can follow the old Erie Canal towpath eastward, into the Village of Clyde.
76° 53.369′ W. Marker is in Clyde, New York, in Wayne County. It can be reached from New York 31, on the right when traveling east. This marker is in a pull off area on the right when heading east on NY-31. I don’t know if you’ll be able to see this when all the foliage is on the trees. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10425 NY-31, Clyde NY 14433, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York, specifically in Western New York, in the Finger Lakes, and in the Rochester Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, on the Great Lakes, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Butler’s Cannon (a few steps from this marker); Clyde Glass Works (approx. 0.8 miles away); Lock No. 64.
Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, April 9, 2025
2. Towpath Trailhead Marker with Butler’s Cannon Marker in the background.
4. Entrance to the Towpath Trailhead Marker from NY-31.
Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, April 9, 2025
5. Butler’s Cannon Marker to the right of the Towpath Trailhead Marker when looking east.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 20, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 20, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
