Know Before You Go...
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Visitor Center
Schoharie Crossing's Visitor Center and Museum on Schoharie Street is open for the season! The hours will be Wednesday through Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday's 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
Yankee Hill
Our lovely Yankee Hill Lock Picnic Area is open from sunrise to sunset daily at 550 Queen Anne Rd, Amsterdam, NY 12010.
Aqueduct Boat Launch
The Aqueduct Boat Launch area is open from sunrise to sunset daily at
the end of Hartley Lane, Town of Glen, off NYS Route 5-South. Come see the
stabilization of the Schoharie Creek Aqueduct while recreating at this historic
site.
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the Erie Canal as one of the 19th century's greatest commercial and engineering projects. The Visitor Center exhibit traces the history of the Erie Canal and its impact on the growth of New York State and the nation.
Within the site's boundaries are many structures dating from the three eras of the canal's development. At the eastern end of the site is the Putman Lock Stand at Yankee Hill that houses an exhibit on Erie Canal stores. The site's largest structure is the remains of the Schoharie Aqueduct, which carried the water of the Enlarged Erie Canal over the Schoharie Creek.
Schoharie Crossing is also the location of 18th century Fort Hunter and the Lower Castle Mohawk village. See artifacts from that portion of our history on display at the Visitor Center.
Stop into the Visitor Center to orient yourself to the site, check out the exhibit space and gift shop.
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site offers educational outreach programs as well as an on-site tours, student field trips, recreational programs, and special events.
Pavilion Information
Schoharie Crossing has three event tents (approximately 20'x 20') available. Prices range from $50 to $75 and can accommodate up to 25 people. Please check availability and request special use permit information by contacting the site before reserving on ReserveAmerica.com.
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 140 Fort Hunter, NY 12069
Hours of Operation
- Schoharie Crossing's Museum and Visitor Center at 129 Schoharie Street, Fort Hunter, NY is open from May 1st to October 31st. Group visits can be arranged by calling 518-829-7516 or emailing: SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov. Guided tours are available by advance reservation only and are $5 per adult, $3 per senior or student, 12 and under are free with paying adult or senior.
- The Schoharie Creek Aqueduct Boat Launch and the Yankee Hill dock are open from May 17th to mid-October.
- The Schoharie Creek Aqueduct Picnic Area and Yankee Hill Lock picnic area as well as all our grounds are open from sunrise to sunset daily. Permits are required for gatherings of more than 20 persons.
- Interpretive signs throughout the grounds of Schoharie Crossing provide information on the various canal features and pre-canal history of the site.
- We will be open select days in the off season. Please follow us on Facebook for updates.
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Fees & Rates
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site does not charge a vehicle fee
Most New York State Parks charge a vehicle use fee to enter the facility. Fees vary by location and season. A list of entry fees and other park use fees is available below. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly.
The easy-to-use Empire Pass card pricing starts at $80- and your key to all-season enjoyment with unlimited day-use entry at most facilities operated by State Parks and the State Dept. of Environmental Conservation including forests, beaches, trails and more. Purchase online or contact your favorite park for more information. Learn more about our Admission Programs including the Empire Pass.
- Admission
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- There is no admission fee for our Visitor Center and Museum,
however some fees apply for special events, educational services, tours, and
the use of picnic areas.
Guided tours are $5 Adult, $3 Senior/Student, 12 and under free, per person and
available by reservation.
Contact the site for Student Group rates and options. Outreach program rates
and topics are also available by request.
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Maps
New! Download this park's digital map to your iOS Apple and Android device.
Our
museum exhibit, "Pathway to Empire: How the Erie Canal Helped Build
America" helps mark the Bicentennial Celebrations of the Erie Canal.
This exhibit highlights the major themes associated with the history of
the canal and illustrates them with interesting artifacts and interactive
displays. A major focal point of the exhibit is a scale model of the
Schoharie Creek Aqueduct and Lock 30, along with the Browns Cash Store
that once stood along the canal here in Fort Hunter, NY. By using
artifacts and primary documents, this exhibit delves into the geology, social
and economic impacts, political motivations, and engineering of the
nationally significant and historic waterway we know as the Erie Canal.
With its rich history, the canal continues to play a critical role in the
lives of all New Yorkers and Americans to this day.
Inside of our Visitor Center exhibit you can also view panels on the
pre-canal history of the site. This portion of our museum highlights the Mohawk
Village known as Tiononderoge and the Haudenosaunee people who occupied these
lands for generations before the American Revolution. The panels also explore
the British Colonial fort that once existed along the banks of the Schoharie
Creek. Witness artifacts that were excavated onsite that help tell the story of
this era of New York and American History.
In partnership with the United States Geological Survey, there are
panels that illustrate the historic water conditions of the Schoharie Creek and
Mohawk River. This exhibit demonstrates the immense power of water and the
destructive nature of flooding in the valleys.
Featured on the east end of the historic site at Yankee Hill Lock is
the Putman Canal Store. The building is undergoing a restoration project and
will be closed to the general public for most of the 2024 season. We expect majority of the restoration work to
happen in July, August, and September. It may impact access to picnic areas. The grounds of Yankee Hill remain open at this time, from sunrise to sunset daily.
NYS History Month – Fur and Diplomacy with Ian Mumpton
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 07:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
Join us on October 8th as we welcome Ian
Mumpton from Johnson Hall State Historic Site presenting, "Stroud and
Silver, Beaver and Bear: The Fur Trade and Diplomacy on the Borderlands!"
For those
living on the borderlands between the territories of the Six Nations and the
British Empire in the 1760's, trade and diplomacy were inextricably linked,
with the fur trade holding the key to wealth and diplomatic power for European
colonists and Indigenous people alike. Pelts harvested by Native fur trappers
and destined for the London fur markets were traded for European textiles,
tools, weaponry, and adornment. See and touch reproductions of 18th century
trade items and learn about what was traded, as well as the role of the British
Indian Department in facilitating and regulating this trade, in this hour-long
guest presentation with Ian Mumpton of Johnson Hall State Historic Site. Ian is the Interpretive Programs Assistant
at Johnson Hall, developing and delivering interpretive educational programming
about the many people who make up the story of this crossroads on the
borderland between empires. Prior to starting at Johnson Hall this past June,
he was the Historic Site Assistant at Schuyler Mansion in Albany, where his
work focused on highlighting the stories of Loyalists, Native Americans, and
enslaved people of African ancestry in the site's history.
Aqueduct Tour – Path Through History Weekend
Saturday, October 12, 2024 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
We'll meet for a walking tour along the
Schoharie Creek and to the Aqueduct. Discover the history of this crossing of
the Schoharie Creek and what it did to transform commercial traffic, how its
engineering is connected to other parts of NY's History and more! This tour meets at the Schoharie Aqueduct
Boat Launch, on Hartley Lane (just off from Rt. 5S). Proper footwear is
required - the walk is on uneven grass covered ground. We will walk up a steep
grade to reach the Aqueduct towpath, and those interested in touring on the
Aqueduct will be allowed to do so.
Empire Lock Tour – Path Through History Weekend
Saturday, October 12, 2024 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
We'll meet for
a walking tour from the Visitor Center/Museum along the original Erie Canal
towpath. This tour will be a mile loop exploring the growth and success of the
canal from the 1820's to 1860's. Discover some of the fascinating history,
engineering, and commercial success of this human-made waterway. This tour meets at the Schoharie Crossing
Visitor Center on Schoharie Street, Fort Hunter - Montgomery County. Proper footwear is encouraged - the walk is
on uneven grass covered towpath trails. This course is mostly flat, with a loop
of about 1-mile.
Erie Canal Immigration Board Game – Path Through History Weekend
Sunday, October 13, 2024 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
As part of the
Path Through History Weekend events at Schoharie Crossing, we are offering this
new Erie Canal Immigration Game. The board game will expose players to the
challenges and historical events that faced immigrants coming to New York in
the 19th century. Focus will be on moving up and away from the city, using the
Hudson River, the rail lines, and the Erie Canal. The goal is to reach as far
into the continent as possible, settle and hopefully thrive, but many won't,
which was part of the immigrant experience and not foreign to anyone who plays
board games. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. There are TWO blocks of time to choose from:
10am and 2pm. This game will be played at the Putman Canal
Store, Yankee Hill Lock - 550 Queen Anne Road, Amsterdam. We ask that you
register HERE.
Registration: Required
NYS History Month – Fort Hunter Mohawks with Iehnhotonkwas Bonnie Jane Maracle
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 07:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
Tuesday Talks
are Back! Live and in person for NYS History Month we'll have weekly programs
discussing local and state history. Join us on October 15th as we welcome
Iehnhotonkwas Bonnie Jane Maracle, Wolf Clan, Mohawk Nation at Tyendinaga
Territory, who will speak from the perspective of a descendant of the Fort
Hunter Mohawks. Maracle will discuss the history and community of these people. Iehnhotonkwas holds a B.A. in Indigenous
Studies from Trent University, a B.Ed. & M.Ed. from Queen's University, and
is a Ph.D. Candidate, Indigenous Studies, at Trent University. Bonnie is a
Learning Strategist based both out of First Nations House and the Academic
Success Centre on the St. George Campus at U of T, in addition to being an
Instructor for the Certificate in Aboriginal Language Revitalization program,
at UVic. In addition to all of this, Bonnie is on the Board of Tsi Tyonnheht
Onkwawenna Language & Culture Centre in Tyendinaga, Ontario Native Literacy
Coalition in London, is the Language Program Coordinator at Kanatsiohareke
Community in NY, and finally, acts as a team writer at Ontario Teacher College
for Additional Qualifications of Native Studies and Native Languages
Guidelines. NYS History Month Tuesday Talks at Schoharie
Crossing is sponsored by the Friends of Schoharie Crossing, Stewart's Shops,
and Karen's Produce & Ice Cream.
