The Buffalo Maritime Center will be launching the full-scale operational traditionally-built plank-on-frame replica of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief, which opened the Erie Canal in 1825. Completed after four years of construction, the 73-foot long, 44 ton vessel will be launched at Canalside (Erie Canal Harbor), the recreation of the western terminus of the Erie Canal.
The launch will take place on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 11 am at the Longshed. Canalside is located at 44 Prime Street in Buffalo. (Date and time subject to change without notice, so follow them on Facebook or Instagram for updates).
The Center will also be holding a celebration – accompanied by a pipes and drums band, officials, community members, and canal enthusiasts – on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 11 am, inaugurating the Seneca Chief arrival at Buffalo’s Commercial Slip, Canalside.
In Late 2025, the boat is planning to journey to New York to re-enact the famous “Wedding of the Waters” ceremony in New York Harbor, part of the bicentennial celebrations commemorating the opening of the Erie Canal.
Model of Seneca Chief in Kingston
The Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, NY, is hosting a one-inch scale model of the Seneca Chief on temporary loan from the Buffalo Maritime Center.
The model, built by Chris Andrle, and will be on display as part of the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s current exhibition, “The Hudson River and its Canals.” The museum is located along the historic Rondout waterfront in downtown Kingston. Visit www.hrmm.org for more information.
Learn More, Get Involved
Those interested in being a partner for the 2025 Bicentennial Voyage of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief should can learn more here.
Illustrations, from above: The replica Seneca Chief under construction in 2024 (courtesy Buffalo Maritime Center); and the original Seneca Chief (with DeWitt Clinton) during its journey opening of the Erie Canal in 1825.
