Life in the Slow Lane (The Pearl): June 20

Seneca Falls Town Dock

"Not until we are lost do we begin to find ourselves." —Henry David Thoreau

The Cayuga-Seneca Canal is actually two short canals that join the Erie Canal to Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. The first lock is about four miles south of the Erie Canal, this lock takes you into Cayuga Lake. We decided to complete the Cayuga-Seneca Canal so we took a right after lock 1 and followed a well-defined canal about 8 miles to Seneca Lake. We’ve now done all the canals in New York.

On our way back down the canal towards Cayuga Lake, we spent the night in Seneca Falls. This sleepy little village was once a thriving mill town that used the waterpower of the Seneca River to operate its mills. When the locks were built to provide a usable canal between the lakes, the river was dammed at the current location of locks 2 and 3. This created a 50’ deep lake that submerged much of the downtown and the mills along the river. Seneca Falls has the distinction of being the birthplace of the Women’s Rights movement. Women obtained the right to vote, own property and many other rights in this small village first.

We saw a lot of these little canal rental boats. If you don't have a boat that can make it under the bridges...this would be a good way to see the Erie Canal.

Docked on the wall in Seneca Falls

We had dinner at 84 Fall...it was wonderful

Seneca Falls has long believed itself as the inspiration for Bedford Falls in the film classic It’s a Wonderful Life. If you'd like to see some evidence of the connections and similarities between the two towns go to this link.

Thursday June 21 was our last day on the move and it was a beautiful day to be on the water. The following pictures are from Thursday morning. This is the old Seneca Knitting Mill.

Trinity Episcopal Church over looks the canal

Lock 2 and 3 of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal are staircase locks...you move straight from lock 2 into lock 3. We were raised 50' from the Cayuga Lake side to the village of Seneca Falls.