Channeling New York

Lock Operator

"This one man I met this summer in Brockport, New York. He was buying some phones for his children. They're about 11 and 12 years old, and they didn't look like somebody from Brockport. So I said, Are you on the canal? He said, Yes. He was from northern Canada. He sold his house, quit his job, bought a sailboat and now they're on this huge adventure."

Erie Canal Ambassador & Boat Greeter

"Without this canal, this community would not be... There's only about 10 of us that are telling the history of this place, and we're working hard, but I don't know how long it's going to continue.”

“Canal Queen” of Lyons

"I probably should not tell people, oh, come see my mini museum. I shouldn't say it that way, because it's going to be at least one person that's going to bitch and make a problem because it's just my little collection."