Camillus Erie Canal Park

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 long aqueduct with 4 spans. 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 currently being restored to operating condition, 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 current pictures of the restoration progress see the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct Restoration page.

For more information on Camillus Erie Canal Park, see the Park's web site. For more information on the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct and the aqueduct restoration, see the Park's Aqueduct page.

The pictures below were taken in July 2004 and August 2008. (Click on the image below to see the full-size version).


The buildings at Camillus Erie Canal Park, with Sims' store on the left.	The reproduction Lock 50 Lockhouse.	The gates of Lock 50.
Lock 50 was located east of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct. The gates above right 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.



Looking at the piers which held the trunk (prism) of the aqueduct. Left: looking west ; Right: Looking east.		Detail of the piers, looking east.


Looking northeast at the south side of the towpath arches.	Looking northeast at the south side prism supports.	Looking northeast at the towpath arches from the southwest pier.

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.


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)

http://www.eriecanal.org/Camillus.html



An overall view looking east from the towpath. The towpath is on the left and the piers which held the trunk (prism) of the aqueduct are on the right.	View of the towpath arches from the north side. Left: looking west ; Right: looking east.

Camillus Erie Canal Park and The Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct

Camillus Erie Canal Park and
The Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct