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Camillus Erie Canal Park and
The Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct

Camillus Landing, near the historic village of Camillus, New York, was the midpoint of the Erie Canal. Camillus Erie Canal Park, located at 5750 Devoe Road, encompasses the first enlargement of the Erie Canal as it crosses the township of Camillus. This section of canal is seven miles long, crossing Nine Mile Creek over a 141-foot aqueduct soon to be restored. At the center of the park where Devoe Road crosses the canal is Sims' Museum, a replica of a canal side store circa 1856. There is also a replica of a lock tender's shanty and other outdoor displays including a water-filled lock demonstration. The park also features boat rides on a mile of the Enlarged Erie Canal, presently stopping short of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct. The aqueduct is scheduled to be restored in 2005, and once completed, the boat rides will cross the aqueduct as canal boats used to do and continue into another mile of currently unused but navigable canal up to the eastern border of the Park. For more information on the Park, see the Camillus Erie Canal Park web site. For more information on the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct and aqueducts in general, see the Park's Aqueduct page.


(click on the image below to see the full-size version)
The buildings at Camillus Erie Canal Park The Lock 50 Lockhouse
The buildings at Camillus Erie Canal Park
with Sims' store on the left

The Lock 50 Lockhouse
at Camillus Erie Canal Park

Lock 50 was located east of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct. The gates below are the lower 8 feet of gates that were originally 20 feet tall, and were preserved by being in water-saturated soil. After excavation, they were put on display at Camillus Erie Canal Park.

The Lock 50 gates Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - North side
The Lock 50 gates.jpg
at Camillus Erie Canal Park

Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct from the north side
(towpath side)

Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - Looking west Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - Looking east
Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - Looking west

Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - Looking east

Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - South side Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - South side
Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - South side,
looking east

Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct - South side,
looking north


In the model to the right, the left picture shows the aqueduct
as it exists today, with the arches of the aqueduct supporting the
towpath on the left, and the U-shaped section which supported the
wooden trough which held the water on the right. In the center picture,
the wooden trough (white) is rebuilt on top of the U-shaped supports,
and the right picture shows the water in the rebuilt trough.
Model of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct

The Enlarged Erie Canal at Camillus The Enlarged Erie Canal at Camillus
The Enlarged Erie Canal at Camillus -
Looking east along the restored section
(west of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct)
The Enlarged Erie Canal at Camillus -
Looking east along the unrestored section
(east of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct)

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Copyright © 2004-2005 by Frank E. Sadowski Jr.
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http://www.eriecanal.org/Camillus.html