September 6, 2024 Brockport to Medina

 Friday Sept. 6, 2024  Brockport to Medina  25 mile and 3.5 hours

After some gorgeous cruising weather days, we're finally hitting a little stretch with forecasted rain arriving this afternoon.  Should be a relatively easy cruising day   No locks but we will need to get 7 bridges lifted as we pass through some smaller towns.  Oftentimes one operator has to work 2 or 3 bridges. This is all original (third version)  early 1900's canal.  Many parts of the canal along here are built up with dikes rather than being a dug ditch. That makes the surrounding countryside, farms, homes, etc.  lower than the canal - sort of an odd feeling. 

Canal, trailway, built up diking and rural western NY scenery

This road passes beneath the canal.  Originally dug by a farmer to let his cows get to pasture on both sides of the canal.  Now a one lane tunnel only usable seasonally.  Water drips down from the canal forming huge icicles in winter making the tunnel unsafe for transit.

We pass through the most northern point of the Erie today at 43.15.371N.  Surprising to see corn stalks nice and green and just reaching maturity.  Back in GA. it long ago would have been harvested and the fields plowed under and reseeded with winter wheat.   We are also coming into apple country.   Several good-looking orchards visible along the route. 

Marker designating northernmost point on the canal

Apple orchards were loaded with fruit. 
Various varieties based on all different colors

 Medina prospered around the canal and then as a railroad center. A highlight of the town is a visit to the railroad museum.  The original large freight loading building now houses a massive HO scale display.  It stretches almost 200' long by 14' wide. Very impressive with the level of detail and scenes depicting early days, manufacturing centers, rural areas, harbors and military activity.

HO railroad display goes back as far as the eye can see

The level of detailing in some of the panoramas was impressive

The town had lots of manufacturing back in the day.  Everything from shirt manufacturing, to foundries, to quarries. This area of the canal was an engineering challenge.  A significant bend along a low creek bed required building a big turning basin and an aqueduct across the nearby creek and falls.  

View from on top of the aqueduct. 65' drop off on left. 
Falls are visible in distance on left

View from on top of aqueduct looking at canal bend, Medina and the basin.
.

When building the canal, a unique stone was found in the local quarries.   Ultimately became known as Medina Sandstone.  Great building material.  In the mid 1800's it was used extensively in NY but also exported.  Numerous buildings in town are made from it which came in assorted shades of red, brown, and grays. It can be found in things as diverse as the foundation of the Brooklyn Bridge and Buckingham Palace.

Many of the Main St. buildings were built using Medina sandstone

The Bent Opera House - now a boutique hotel - used a light gray sandstone

St. Mary's RC Church and rectory made from red Medina sandstone.

No breweries in town, but a couple pubs and a good selection of restaurants. Even a couple of high-end farm to table places. Small farmers market here on Saturday but since we're trying to use up our on board supplies, we deferred buying anything.  Overall, a good town to visit and worth spending the extra day here.

Big mural on building celebrating the early use of canal

One of the newer murals celebrating an adventurous hiker, bird watcher, photographer, painter?