BACK TO BUFFALO TOUR Educating Students | Engaging Community
The Back to Buffalo Tour Is Made Possible by the Generous Support of Our Partners
David & Joan Rogers Family Foundation
Conable Family Foundation a Fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Anne Conable
Richard Pierce
James W. Smyton
Commemo r a t ing t he 200t h anni v e rs a ry of t he E r ie Canal , on Se pt embe r 24, 2025, B u ffalo Ma r i t ime Cen t e r ’ s st aff & v ol u n t ee rs emba r ked on a 33 - da y Bicen t ennial Vo y age aboa r d t he E r ie Canal Boa t Seneca Chief . T r a v eling t he f u ll leng t h of t he canal , t he flee t docked a t 28 p o rts and engaged t ho us and s of Ne w Yo r ke rs in comm u ni t ie s la r ge and s mall . 2025 BICENTENNIAL VOYAGE
Gene r a t ing st a t e w ide en t h us ia s m and na t ional media a tt en t ion , t he Bicen t ennial Vo y age demon str a t ed t he im p o rt ance of r ee x amining E r ie Canal hi st o ry, t he p o w e r of mobile , p lace - ba s ed pr og r amming , and e st abli s hed a pr o v en model fo r f utur e comm u ni ty engagemen t in p a rt ne rs hi p w i t h Ne w Yo r k S t a t e .
D ur ing t he 2025 Bicen t ennial Vo y age , an Ea st e r n Whi t e Pine w a s p lan t ed a t each p o rt in r ecogni t ion of t he Ha u deno s a u nee and t hei r end ur ing connec t ion t o t he land up on w hich t he E r ie Canal w a s b u il t. Comm u ni ty membe rs con tr ib ut ed w a t e r f r om t hei r local s ec t ion of t he E r ie Canal and H u d s on Ri v e r, w hich w a s ca rr ied aboa r d t he boa t and us ed t o no ur i s h t he final Whi t e Pine p lan t ed in Ne w Yo r k Ci ty. GATHERING OF THE WATERS
GOW VIDEO During the 2025 Bicentennial Voyage, an Eastern White Pine was planted at each port in recognition of the Haudenosaunee and their enduring connection to the land upon which the Erie Canal was built. Community members contributed water from their local section of the Erie Canal and Hudson River, which was carried aboard the boat and used to nourish the final White Pine planted in New York City. During the 2026 Back to Buffalo Voyage, that ceremony continues, but in reverse. Water gathered from communities along the route will travel west aboard the Seneca Chief to nourish the very first ceremonial White Pine planted at Buffalo's Seneca Bluffs Park. Together, these acts complete a symbolic circle of connection, remembrance, and renewal, honoring the past while strengthening the bonds that have united communities along the canal through this community boatbuilding project.
2026 BACK TO BUFFALO TOUR Educating Students | Engaging Community The 2026 Back t o B u ffalo To ur i s a st a t e w ide ed u ca t ion and comm u ni ty engagemen t ini t ia t i v e led b y t he B u ffalo Ma r i t ime Cen t e r, de s igned t o connec t stu den ts, ed u ca t o rs, and canal comm u ni t ie s w i t h Ne w Yo r k ’ s li v ing ma r i t ime he r i t age . F r om Ma y t o Oc t obe r, t he t o ur in v i t e s lea r ne rs of all age s t o e xp lo r e t he E r ie Canal t h r o u gh g u ided boa t t o urs, hand s - on demon str a t ion s, pu blic e v en ts, fe st i v al a pp ea r ance s, and a home w a r d v o y age along t he canal . The Seneca Chief s e rv e s a s a mo v ing sy mbol of s ha r ed hi st o ry and a p la t fo r m fo r st a t e w ide lea r ning .
Pho t o C r edi t : John K u cko Digi t al
BACK TO BUFFALO VOYAGE | JUNE 6 - 27, 2026 The Back t o B u ffalo Vo y age s e rv e s a s t he cen t e rp iece of t he t o ur, s hif t ing f r om a commemo r a t i v e jo ur ne y t o an ed u ca t ion - fi rst pr og r am . O v e r 22 da ys, t he boa t w ill v i s i t 16 p o rts along t he E r ie Canal , deli v e r ing NYS c urr ic u l u m - aligned pr og r amming and pu blic engagemen t o pp o rtu ni t ie s e xp ec t ed t o r each t ho us and s of stu den ts & comm u ni ty membe rs st a t e w ide .
1. WATERFORD 6/6 2. SCHENECTADY 6/6 3. AMSTERDAM 6/7-8 4. LITTLE FALLS 6/9-10 5. ROME 6/11-12 6. SYLVAN BEACH 6/13 7. BREWERTON 6/14 8. SYRACUSE 6/15-16
9. BALDWINSVILLE 6/17 10. LYONS 6/18-19 11. FAIRPORT 6/20-21 12. ROCHESTER 6/22-23 13. HOLLEY 6/24 14. MEDINA 6/25 15. TONAWANDAS 6/26 16. BUFFALO 6/27
*Itinerary is subject to change.
Back to Buffalo Voyage Port Locations
*
Port 1: Waterford 6/6 Waterford Harbor Visitor Center 1 Tugboat Alley Waterford, NY 12188 42°47'14.10"N 73°40'46.03"W Port 2: Schenectady 6/6 The River House 221 Harborside Drive Schenectady, NY 12305 42°49'32.28"N 73°55'59.57"W Port 3: Amsterdam 6/7-8 Riverlink Park 2 Front Street Amsterdam, NY 12010 42°56'02.23"N 74°11'29.95"W Port 4: Little Falls 6/9-10 Rotary Park 74 Southern Avenue Little Falls, NY 13365 43°02'05.21"N 74°51'55.46"W Port 5: Rome 6/11-12 Bellamy Harbor Park 139 E Whitesboro Street Rome, NY 13440 43°12'06.14"N 75°27'07.06"W
Port 6: Sylvan Beach 6/13 Erie Canal 1 Bypass st 13 Canal Street Sylvan Beach, NY 13157 43°11'43.36"N 75°43'43.68"W
Port 11: Fairport 6/20-21 Box Factory 6 N. Main Street Fairport, NY 14450 43°06'05.17"N 77°26'28.15"W Port 12: Rochester 6/22-23 Rochester By Water 280 Exchange Boulevard Rochester, NY 14608 43°08'59.24"N 77°36'36.90"W
Port 7: Brewerton 6/14 Riverfront Park
5449 Bennett Street Brewerton, NY 13029 43°14'23.95"N 76°08'31.88"W Port 8: Syracuse 6/15-16 Inner Harbor 396 W Kirkpatrick Street Syracuse, NY 13204 43°03'37.48"N 76°09'49.43"W Port 9: Baldwinsville 6/17 Paper Mill Island 126 Spensieri Avenue Baldwinsville, NY 13027 43°09'22.46"N 76°20'04.64"W
Port 13: Holley 6/24 Canal Park
39 East Avenue Holley, NY 14470 43°13'40.12"N 78°01'15.88"W Port 14: Medina 6/25 Medina Canal Park 1 Canal Basin Medina, NY 14103 43°13'16.74"N 78°23'09.07"W Port 15: Tonawandas 6/26 NT Gateway Park 99 Sweeney Street North Tonawanda, NY 14120 43°01'18.52"N 78°52'35.71"W
Port 10: Lyons 6/18-19 Lyons Fire Department
23 Water Street Lyons, NY 14489 43°03'41.63"N 76°59'34.38"W HOMECOMING! Port 16: Buffalo 6/27 Commercial Slip 44 Prime Street Buffalo, NY 14202 42°52'38.23"N 78°52'44.88"W
*The addresses listed indicate where the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief will be docked in port. This itinerary is subject to change. Visit BuffaloMaritimeCenter.org/BacktoBuffalo for updates.
90 A rt h ur S tr ee t | B u ffalo , NY 14207 | 716 - 881 - 0111 | info @ b u ffaloma r i t imecen t e r. o r g B u ffaloMa r i t imeCen t e r. o r g
B u ffalo Ma r i t ime Cen t e r ( BMC ) in sp i r e s meaningf u l connec t ion s and life le ss on s t h r o u gh comm u ni ty boa t b u ilding , pr e s e rv ing ma r i t ime c u l tur e , and e xp lo r ing t he w a t e rw a ys of We st e r n Ne w Yo r k . OUR MISSION
Th r o u gh ed u ca t ional pr og r am s, pu blic e x hibi ts, and la r ge - s cale pr ojec ts like t he E r ie Canal Boa t Seneca Chief , t he BMC fo st e rs a dee p e r a ppr ecia t ion fo r t he r egion ’ s w a t e rw a ys, c r af ts man s hi p, and hi st o ry. BUILDING BOATS | BUILDING COMMUNITY
MEET THE STAFF
The B u ffalo Ma r i t ime Cen t e r ha s an e x ce pt ional t eam of dedica t ed st aff membe rs w i t h eclec t ic backg r o u nd s and y ea rs of e xp e r ience in boa t b u ilding , ed u ca t ion , c ur a t ion , and de s ign , all looking fo rw a r d t o s ha r ing BMC ’ s st o ry.
Vi s i t B u ffaloMa r i t imeCen t e r. o r g t o mee t y o ur ho sts fo r t he Back t o B u ffalo To ur !
EDDIE KNIBLOE E x hibi t & Collec t ion s Manage r
ROGER ALLEN Ma st e r Boa t b u ilde r
GREG DUDLEY Boa t b u ilding P r og r am s Di r ec t o r
KATY SHOOP Admini str a t i v e Manage r
CHELSEA MOORE Ed u ca t ion Di r ec t o r
BRIAN TRZECIAK E x ec ut i v e Di r ec t o r
MEET OUR VOLUNTEERS
The E r ie Canal Boa t Seneca Chief pr ojec t w a s one of t he la r ge st comm u ni ty boa t b u ilding endea v o rs in t he w o r ld and one of t he fe w being con stru c t ed on pu blic di sp la y.
F r om t he beginning , t he pu blic w a s enco ur aged t o p a rt ici p a t e in t he pr ojec t b y v ol u n t ee r ing t o hel p b u ild and s e rv e a s pu blic g r ee t e rs. Man y stu den ts and p a rt ne r o r gani z a t ion s had t he o pp o rtu ni ty t o w o r k on t he boa t and con tr ib ut e t o t hi s eno r mo us comm u ni ty b u ild . O v e r 200 v ol u n t ee rs w e r e ac t i v el y engaged in t he pr ojec t, and w i t h onl y tw o pr ofe ss ional s hi pwr igh ts leading t he b u ild , i t w a s a tru e v ol u n t ee r - d r i v en effo rt. We ’ r e e t e r nall y g r a t ef u l fo r t he o v e r 60,000 ho urs t ha t o ur v ol u n t ee rs ga v e t o b u ilding , in t e rpr e t ing , and r e s ea r ching t he hi st o ry of t hi s boa t be tw een 2019 and 2025. Ta p he r e t o mee t s ome of o ur v ol u n t ee rs !
MEET THE FLEET
E r ie Canal Boa t Seneca Chief
B u ffalo Ma r i t ime Cen t e r st aff and v ol u n t ee rs b u il t t hi s r e p lica of Go v. DeWi tt Clin t on ’ s Line Boa t t ha t o p ened t he E r ie Canal in 1825. La u nched in 2024 Con stru c t ion t ook p lace f r om 2020 - 2025 in s ide t he Long s hed a t Canal s ide on B u ffalo ’ s w a t e r f r on t. Dimen s ion s : Leng t h : 73 ’ Beam : 12 ’ 6 ” D r af t : 2 ’ F r eeboa r d : 2 ' Ai r D r af t : 9 ' No engine | 30 Am p r e qu i r ed w hen docked
C . L . Ch ur chill T u gboa t
The C . L . Ch ur chill s e rv ed a s t he tu gboa t fo r t he hi st o r ic Loi s McCl ur e s ailing canal boa t and w a s ac qu i r ed b y t he BMC f r om t he Lake Cham p lain Ma r i t ime M us e u m in 2023.
B u il t in 1964 Dimen s ion s :
Leng t h : 33 ’ Beam : 11 ' 6 ” D r af t : 4 ’ F r eeboa r d : 2 ' Ai r D r af t : 14 ' 6 " 115 HP die s el engine | 30 Am p r e qu i r ed w hen docked
B u ffalo Sal P us h Boa t
B u ffalo Ma r i t ime Cen t e r st aff and v ol u n t ee rs b u il t t hi s pus h boa t f r om 2024 - 2025 a t BMC ’ s boa ts ho p a t 90 A rt h ur S t. in B u ffalo , NY . La u nched in 2025 Dimen s ion s :
Leng t h : 16 ’ Beam : 6 ' 6 " D r af t : 1 ' 6 " F r eeboa r d : 1 ' 6 " Ai r D r af t : 5 ' Po w e r ed b y a 60 HP o ut boa r d engine
Cong r a tu la t ion s t o John Mon t ag u e and t he B u ffalo Ma r i t ime Cen t e r st aff and c r e w of t he E r ie Canal Boa t Seneca Chief on a hi st o r ic v o y age !
We ’ r e looking fo rw a r d t o s eeing y o u all back in B u ffalo .
Fair Winds to the crew of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief on your journey back to Buffalo. What you have accomplished is an inspiration to all.
David & Joan Rogers Family Foundation
2026 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
In hono r of o ur in tr e p id st aff and v ol u n t ee r c r e w, t hank y o u fo r making hi st o ry !
P r e s iden t Anne Conable
Vice P r e s iden t JoAnne H u decki
T r ea sur e r Da v e Roge rs
Sec r e t a ry D r. Candalene McComb s
P r e s iden t Eme r i tus Joe Koe ss le r P r e s iden t Eme r i tus D r. John Mon t ag u e
Do u gla s Bean
Ca t he r ine Ca rr Lincoln
Neil Fa rr ell
William F r iedeman
Ka r en J . G r ego ry
Ho w a r d Hain
Pa t K rz e s in s ki
Oli v ia McCa rt h y
Ca r l ( Rock y ) E . Nagel
Ka t he r ine Pe ss eco w
John Sicin s ki
Jame s W . Sm yt on
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