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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Pittsford in Monroe County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Erie Canal

Heritage Trail

 
 
Erie Canal Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Yugoboy, July 9, 2012
1. Erie Canal Marker
Inscription. "The Great Embankment" completed 1822 is one mile long, 70 feet high across Irondequoit Creek Valley
 
Erected 1989 by Pittsford Bicentennial.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: EnvironmentMan-Made FeaturesWaterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Erie Canal series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1822.
 
Location. 43° 4.421′ N, 77° 29.575′ W. Marker is in Pittsford, New York, in Monroe County. Marker can be reached from Marsh Road. This marker is well within Great Embankment Park, off Marsh Rd. Once you enter the park follow the driveway as far into the park as possible until you reach a circle where you can park, leave your car and walk to the canal path (it's visible from the parking area.) The marker is visible from that spot. Alternatively, you can park at Burgundy Basin Inn further down Marsh Rd. and walk northeast until you see the marker. If you park at Schoen Place in Pittsford, head southeast. These are both enjoyable short walks when the weather is nice. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pittsford NY 14534, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Building the Great Embankment (a few steps from this marker); Seneca Trail (approx. 0.3
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miles away); Cartersville (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bushnell's Basin (approx. 1.1 miles away); Richardson Tavern (approx. 1.1 miles away); District #1 (approx. 1˝ miles away); The First House (approx. 1˝ miles away); Historic Schoen Place (approx. 1˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pittsford.
 
Regarding Erie Canal. The Great Embankment is a significant engineering achievement. Essentially it's a massive aqueduct for 2 reasons - to allow Irondequoit Creek to continue on its original path, and to avoid having to build 2 locks for a mile-long valley.
The massiveness of the Embankment is best viewed from Marsh Rd. Marsh passes along the base of the embankment, and you can see how high they had to build it in 1822.
The Embankment has leaked a few times in its history, One time it collapsed, flooding the valley until it could get repaired. As recently as about 2000 it leaked a little. They used coffer dams to stop the leaking until they could work on it.
 
Erie Canal Marker as seen facing west on the Canal Path image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Yugoboy, July 9, 2012
2. Erie Canal Marker as seen facing west on the Canal Path
Erie Canal Marker as seen facing east on the Canal Path image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Yugoboy, July 9, 2012
3. Erie Canal Marker as seen facing east on the Canal Path
Erie Canal Marker taken from a boat ride in August 2023 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Mira Earls, August 6, 2023
4. Erie Canal Marker taken from a boat ride in August 2023
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on October 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2012, by Yugoboy of Rochester, New York. This page has been viewed 656 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on July 12, 2012, by Yugoboy of Rochester, New York.   4. submitted on September 30, 2023, by Mira Earls of Cortland, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024