Sun Sept 19: Lyons to Seneca Falls free wall

 In which today's museum is NOT a disappointMINT ...

First thing in the morning we got off our lovely dock to see some more of the town sights!

Our lovely dock!

Lyons has a number of excellent murals.

The Pour House!  Get it?!  We had to go to the pour house just so we could say we did.

I know you have always wondered how to satisfy your copious dart needs ...

Our main goal of the day (actually of the stop in Lyons) was to visit the Hotchkiss Mint Museum.  As mentioned in yesterday’s post this area was the center for growing Peppermint, and the resulting oil was used in all kinds of products, potions, and tonics.  Since we like small unusual museums, this seemed like it would be perfect entertainMINT.  In order to visit this museum one has to CALL THE DIRECTOR and set up a time for her to personally open it! Director Patty - known as Peppermint Patty, of course - spent 2 hours of her Sunday morning giving us a detailed tour, and a history of both the business and the area. As a retired history teacher she is in the perfect role, and has spent many years putting together the museum and collecting Hotchkiss memorabilia from all over.  It's clearly and labor of love (a testaMINT to her commitment) , and her enthusiasm is infectious! And Mr History gave her lots of encourageMINT. We came away with a lot of knowledge (who knew there were over 20 species of mint), and some excellent minty souvenirs...some things are just MINT to be eaten.  No - truly - I'm trying to stop this run away pun train, but Rick keeps offering positive reinforceMINT.  It's a predicaMINT, I think you will agree..

The original company was started in the small room on the lower left, eventually  taking over the whole building.

We are MINT to be together on this adventure!

The company was situated 15 feet from the original Erie Canal (called “Clinton’s Ditch” in honor of the then governor of NY) so that Peppermint oil could be brought in, filtered, tested and packaged.  Finished oil was then crated and sent on down the Erie Canal to places all over the world!   Again, showing just how important the Erie Canal was to both the local NY economy, and the creation of economic progress in the early USA. 

Additional warehouse for H. G. Hotchkiss Peppermint Oil Co. Note the upper loft doors for loading things in and out.

Returning to the boat Rick was distressed to notice a NEW NICK in the bow - in a place that's actually hard to nick, even if you were trying...  : (

Next up - Seneca Falls! Today we will leave the Erie Canal and head onto the Cayuga-Seneca canal system that will take us to both Cayuga and Seneca Lakes.  But first a couple of bridges to worry about.  Just to make things extra nerve-wracking for Rick, they added wrapping to the scaffolding we had to deal with last time we went under this damn bridge. For the love of ...

Whew - we made it under.

 

 

The junction of the Erie and Cayuga-Seneca Canals

We traveled through Locks E-26 and E-25 on the Erie Canal, and then turned right onto the CS canal. There are a total of 4 locks on the CS canal, but locks CS2 and CS3 are special in that they are connected “stair step” locks.  It is hard to see in this picture below, but basically you enter lock CS2 and are lifted 25 feet.  When that door opens you travel directly into lock CS3 and are lifted another 25 feet.  As we’ve said before there is always a new challenge on this adventure. 

Locks CS-2 & CS-3 stair step locks. Basically the 4 CS locks are taking us up from the Erie level to the much higher finger lakes region.

We make it to Locks 2&3 just in time.   The locks now only operate until 5 pm (during the peak summer season locks can stay open until 9 or 10 pm).  We pulled into another free wall and tied up for the night.  Seneca Falls is a charming small town, and is home to the Woman’s Rights National Park. In the 1830’s Seneca Falls was a thriving mill town that used water power of the river to operate many of its businesses.   Over time, as the canal was widened, they eventually damned up the river which created a small lake and submerged the falls ending the availability of water power for the mills. 

We are comfy on the wall, with the harvest moon coming up over the bridge in the distance.  Right now it looks like one of the street lights.

Goodnight, you wonderful old building ...