Twelve years ago I worked as a deckhand on Urger engaged in its educational mission. We traveled the length of NYS from Waterford to Tonawanda and welcomed visitors to the boat, highlighting the history of the canal, the workings of a bell-boat tug, and the importance of environmental stewardship. While engaged as such, I learned a lot about the NYS Canal System, present and past. In free hours, I’d visit museums and other notable locations along the canal. One such place was the J. W. Pratt House in Fulton. Here are a few photos I took there. Having them in my photo library prompts memory of the what I saw. These photos intrigue me. How many more such photos can expand our collective memory of past years along the canals? The captions and photos are credited to the Pratt House.

I love the train and draft animal juxtaposition here.

Circuses once traveled along the canals, town to town, and some like Sig Sautelle‘s, even by canal boat.

Got a favorite museum or historical society along the canals? Got favorite photos of exhibits there? Please give a shoutout either in the comments section or send them to . . . canalsocietyofnysphotos@gmail.com . . . so that I can share that info here.