Lock 23 - Rotterdam
This is another view of the south chamber of Enlarged Erie Canal Lock 23 (Alexander's Lock). Lock 23 was a double chamber lock opened at the beginning of the 1842 navigation season, replacing the single chamber Cinton's Ditch Lock 26, which was located nearby. Lock 23 raised and lowered boats eight feet. During the busiest seasons, boats passed through this lock once every five minutes. Competition from the railroads spurred several efforts to improve the canal. Many locks, including Lock 23 (in 1889-90)were lengthened (the south chamber) to increase traffic. The canal was eventually abandoned -- in 1918, upon the completion of the Barge Canal. The General Electric Co. purchased the land from the state, then donated it to the Town of Rottedam in the 1950's. By the 1990's the lock was almost obscured by the overgrowth. In 1999 the faculty and the students of Union College's Dept. of Civil Engineering worked on cleaning up the site and doing some reconstruction. The Mohawk-Hudson Bike Trail is built on the old towpath and passes right by the lock. Lock 23 is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located near the intersection of Rice Road and Schermerhorn Road in Rotterdam,NY
Lock 23 - Rotterdam
This is another view of the south chamber of Enlarged Erie Canal Lock 23 (Alexander's Lock). Lock 23 was a double chamber lock opened at the beginning of the 1842 navigation season, replacing the single chamber Cinton's Ditch Lock 26, which was located nearby. Lock 23 raised and lowered boats eight feet. During the busiest seasons, boats passed through this lock once every five minutes. Competition from the railroads spurred several efforts to improve the canal. Many locks, including Lock 23 (in 1889-90)were lengthened (the south chamber) to increase traffic. The canal was eventually abandoned -- in 1918, upon the completion of the Barge Canal. The General Electric Co. purchased the land from the state, then donated it to the Town of Rottedam in the 1950's. By the 1990's the lock was almost obscured by the overgrowth. In 1999 the faculty and the students of Union College's Dept. of Civil Engineering worked on cleaning up the site and doing some reconstruction. The Mohawk-Hudson Bike Trail is built on the old towpath and passes right by the lock. Lock 23 is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located near the intersection of Rice Road and Schermerhorn Road in Rotterdam,NY