Summer is finally here in Western New York! Our boats are on the water and the Longshed is bustling with visitors from all around the world who are checking out the progress on the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief. Speaking of progress, the shot above is of the crew who just steam-bent a 4 1/2" thick, 8" wide, 20' long piece of white oak that will be used as the outwale on the boat. That's just one example of impressive work happening at the BMC! We had our Student Boat Launch at the end of May with a big crowd of students, parents, teachers, volunteers, and community members. Take a look at the video below recapping this wonderful event. And our mobile boatbuilding trailer, the Navigator Program, has been busy as well throughout the community. Chelsea is heading up this program with our new interns, and our outreach is growing every day. Be sure to stop on down to the Longshed to not only see the Erie Canal Boat taking shape but also the new exhibit on the mezzanine dedicated to the Haudenosaunee and the Erie Canal. This exhibit is only one step toward understanding and honoring the deep Haudenosaunee legacy of our region, but it is an important one to take, especially in light of the commemoration of the Bicentennial of the Erie Canal in 2025. Don’t forget that next Thursday, July 14th, at the Honda Tent at the Main Canal at Canalside, we’re hosting our next speaker in our Summer Speaker Series. Join us as Ron Endle talks all about world's oldest active fireboat, the Edward M. Cotter. Thank you to all of you who have donated to our Spring Appeal to help us purchase the tugboat C.L. Churchill, the parking lot adjacent to our building, and the refurbishment of our library and museum at 90 Arthur Street.We are on our way, but we can still use your help to make these projects a reality! Please click on the button below to support today.
As you can see, we have a lot going on this summer here at the BMC, and I’m grateful that you’re all a part of making it happen.
Enjoy the summer! I look forward to seeing you out on the water . . .
Brian Trzeciak Executive Director
Buffalo Maritime Center
There’s been some interest in what the 60’ long timbers that became our keelson and longitudinal girders were in their past life. These came out of a single 14”x 14” piece. Which means the trunk of the tree was at least 20” in diameter (practical use for trigonometry)! Big long pieces of wood have been used for all sorts of things over the years, but these are of such an exceptional size and quality, they must have been sought out for a very particular use. Higgins Erectors and Haulers, at the time located in downtown Buffalo, had this in mind when they acquired these timbers to use as gin poles.
The gin pole crane was traditionally one of the most important tools in the rigging and builder’s “toolbox.”
It functioned by having the base supported on the ground or on a stable part of a building. The top end of the gin pole had several lines (rope, then later, steel cable) attached and then run to points where they could be controlled to stabilize the and move the pole. The load would be hung from a block and tackle also attached to the top end. Until the modern era of cranes, this way of lifting heavy things was commonplace.
A good gin pole needed to be long and straight and free of large knots. Trees with extremely tall trunks with the branches clustered at the top were the best for this use. Coastal Douglas Fir is perfect because it is one of the few species that grows tall enough to have a 60’ long branch free section. The only problem is that the only coast they grow on, is the Western one, particularly Oregon and Washington State. While we were pondering how to move our 60’ long timbers from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, it occurred to me that over a hundred years ago someone was thinking about how to move these same timbers thousands of miles from the cascade mountain range to their final destination here in Buffalo.
This 1920’s era photo above illustrates one possible way. The average railroad car was 36-40’ long at the time. Two cars coupled together was the only way to ship them by rail. If you look closely, you can see that the timbers are only supported at one point directly over the center of each railcar. This way both cars could pivot independently when going around curves. That makes a lot of sense. If it were attached at a third point, the timbers would probably have snapped in half by the time they arrived in Buffalo. By the way, there’s not a ratchet-strap in sight!
Below, you can see actual gin poles in action from years ago. These photos were provided to us by Jeff Higgins as were the gin poles (thank you, again, Jeff!). It's amazing to think about the history of these pieces of timber. And now, you can see them making history again as the keelson and longitudinal girders of our Erie Canal Boat down at the Longshed.
As you may well know, the Buffalo Maritime Center is currently building a replica of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief on which Governor DeWitt Clinton traveled aboard as he officially opened the Erie Canal in 1825. While construction of the replica Erie Canal Boat itself is a major goal of the BMC, so is inspiring awareness of the history surrounding the creation of the Erie Canal and the effect that this development had on the Haudenosaunee people. Haudenosaunee, pronounced “Hoe-dee-no-show-nee,” broadly translates as People who build a Longhouse. The name signifies the confederacy of five, later six, Indigenous Nations who continue to live in the region encompassing Ontario, Quebec, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The exhibit is free to the public during the open hours of the Longshed. For Longshed visiting hours, click here.
Hand-to-Hand Program
That’s a wrap! Students in the 2021-2022 Hand-to-Hand boatbuilding classes finished up their boats and put their work to the test at the end of May. Buffalo Maritime Center celebrated over 40 students from Riverside Academy, WNY Maritime Charter School, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, and Lafayette International High School during the annual student boat launch at Hoyt Lake. The Olmsted Skiffs that were built will become rentals at Hoyt Lake for the public to enjoy, and the canoes become the schools’ property to take students out on the water. As for the students, some were honored during their high school graduations, some will return to the Buffalo Maritime Center to work on the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief and for on-the-water programming, and a few students joined the maritime team as Navigator interns that will mentor other students during summer programs! Check out the article on the student boat launch in the Buffalo News.
Navigator Program
As another school year wraps up in the boatbuilding classroom, the Buffalo Maritime Center’s Boatmobile is on the road! As a reminder, the BMC's Navigator Program is a new initiative that brings wooden boatbuilding to the community. The Navigator Program kicked off the summer with a visit to the Juneteenth Festival in MLK Jr. Park (pictured above) and worked with the Buffalo community to build a 6-Hour Canoe. Check out some of the photos from Juneteenth on our Instagram @buffalomaritimecenter. The Boatmobile will continue to travel around Buffalo this summer visiting the African-American Cultural Center, Delavan-Grider Community Center, Lafayette International, Confident Girls Inc., and several other events happening in our wonderful city. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting new project!
Join us for the Buffalo Maritime Center’s Summer Speaker Series featuring Ron Endle, President of the Fireboat Edward M. Cotter Conservancy. Learn about the history of Buffalo’s Edward M. Cotter, the world’s oldest active fireboat since 1900. Ron will also talk about the city’s first two locally made (and less known) fireboats, the George R. Potter and the John M. Hutchinson.
The BMC Speaker Series will take place on Thursdays at the Honda Tent at Canalside (on the Replica Canal across from Explore & More). This event has a $10 entrance fee per person or $5 for BMC Members. Doors will open at 5PM and there will be a cash bar before and after the event. Be sure to get there early to get a great seat!
The upcoming BMC Speaker Series Event at Canalside will take place on July 28th with Mike Vogel as he talks about the Western Terminus of the Erie Canal, also known as “the very nostrils of hell.” For questions, please email us at info@buffalomaritimecenter.org.
The Buffalo Maritime Center is proud to announce the inaugural Fair Winds Gala: An Evening on the Waterfront! Please join us as we honor our Founder & President Emeritus, Dr. John Montague.
The gala will take place on the waterfront at Acqua on Niagara Street. With breathtaking views of the river, the event will feature an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, dinner & dancing while being entertained by Broadway star Robert Creighton. Our silent and live auctions will feature unique items & experiences, and all proceeds will benefit the Buffalo Maritime Center’s educational programming.
Tickets go on sale soon. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please click here for more info!
The Buffalo Maritime Center’s mission is to provide everyone the opportunity
to experience the joy of being on the water, to learn maritime history,
and to achieve higher levels of craftsmanship.
