Photos by Tom Loughlin Jr.
The “Seneca Chief”, an exact replica of the first boat to traverse the DeWitt Clinton engineering masterpiece Erie Canal when it opened in 1825 made its’ 15th stop of the 28 event bicentennial tour at the Utica marina and Portofino Restaurant.
The vessel was built at the Buffalo Marine Center and is touring the Erie Canal in a 28 stop tour beginning in Buffalo and ending in Manhattan.
Hundreds of local history buffs, enthused with the prospect of witnessing the historic heard speeches of welcome from Utica’s Mayor Mike Galime,, Portofino owner Ken Roser and Seneca Chief tour coordinator Brian Trzeciak
Trzeciak detailed the canal history, paying special homage to the Irish immigrants who whose labors were vital to the Erie Canal’s construction..
Dozens of members of the Irish community in attendance cheered loudly at the mention of the Irish contribution to the Canal,,
Tom Loughlin Jr,, a member of the Ancient order of Hibernians , an Irish fraternal organization later called Trzeciak, s comments “gratifying and heartwarming”.
The Irish contrition to the canal was a bloodstained one “Irish Central” a major Irish news outlet, estimates Irish canal-worker deaths well into the thousands fr construction accidents and disease. “Swamp Fever” (malaria) cost more than 1000 workers their lives in a single summer.
Another Utica fraternal body, one with a direct to DeWitt Clinton. Utica Commandery #3 if Knights Templar was represented by Eminent Commander Sir Knight Stuart Card of Newport. The Utica Templars were founded by the signature of canal-builder DeWitt Clinton at a ceremony at the Sangerfield home of Utica’s selected Commander Richard Sanger. February 8,1823 Clinton was the Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons of the Grand Lodge of the State of NY and Grand Master thee Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of NY Following his recounting of canal history, Trzeciak invited Mayor Galime to place a sample of canal water from the Utica site into a contained holding samples from each tour stop. The combined waters will be used in a ceremony replicating De Witt Clinton’s s 1825 “Wedding of the Waters” at Red Hook NJ.
The 2025 “wedding “re enactment”” will take place at Pier 26 on the Hudson River in Manhattan at the end of the Seneca Chief’s journey Saturday and Sunday October 25-6
Photos:
3464 The Seneca Chief” an exact replica of the first boat to traverse the Erie Canal in 1825 arrives at the Utica Marina/Portofino Restaurant on the 15th of the 28th stop historic tour of DeWitt Clinton’s Erie Canal.
Photo DSC 1508 Utica Mayor Michael Galime pours a sample of canal water from the Utica Marina, mixing with samples from other tour stop sites to be poured into he Hudson River for a 2025 v3rsion of DeWitt Clinton’s 1825 event.
Photo1512 left to right ” Tour stop host Ken Roser the Utica Marina and Portofino Restaurant join Sir Knight Stuart Card Commander of the DeWitt Clinton -founded Utica Commandery #3 of Knights Templar NY.. on far right is history buff-Utica Mayor Michael Galime
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1563 Tour coordinator Bran Trzeciak of the Buffalo Marine Works details the history of the Canal including a touching and well -deserved mention of the Irish laborers who built the nation-changing water highway.
1507 “Seneca Chief” Erie Canal Tour coordinator Bran Trzeciak explains the “Wedding of the Waters ” Ceremony to take place at tour’s end in NYC and prepares Mayor Galime to gather and deposit the Utica sample as Ken Roser smiles to the crowd.
