Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lockport and Niagara Wine Country
TothenortheastofBuffalo,fertilelandstretchesoutward,encompassingthehistoriccityof
Lockport and eventually reaching Lake Ontario. The Niagara Escarpment cuts through on
an east-west axis, creating a perfect microclimate for growing fruit between the ridge and
thelake.WinecountryspreadsnorthwardfromtheescarpmenttoLakeOntariolikeagreen
blanket, nurturing nearly 20 wineries. The imposing dolostone of the escarpment yields to
Yankee ingenuity and hard labor in Lockport, where the Erie Canal manages to flow uphill.
SIGHTS
Erie Canal Discovery Center
Despite its four-mile-per-hour speed limit, the Erie Canal was the first U.S. superhighway,
fundamentally changing both the region and the country as a whole. The Erie Canal
Discovery Center (24 Church St., Lockport, 716/439-0431, www.niagarahistory.org ,
9am-5pm daily May-Oct., 10am-3pm Thurs.-Sat. Nov.-Apr., $6 adults, $4 children 5-13)
is the best way to understand the canal, its legacy, and its importance to Lockport. This is
nomustymuseum!Thishighlyeducational andentertaining centerhascontemporary inter-
active exhibits. Try your hands at piloting a model boat through the locks or take a virtual
nighttime ride aboard a packet boat along the canal.
Other displays tell the compelling stories of “canawlers,” the men, women, and children
whose lives depended upon the Erie Canal. The City of Lockport Visitor's Center is in the
lower level of the complex. The volunteers here can provide excellent information about
local attractions and festivals.
MM Lockport Locks
Diggers of the Erie Canal faced a monumental problem as they excavated the 363-mile
waterway in the early 1800s. Engineers needed to find a way to allow boats to climb the
60-foot increase in elevation at Lockport's escarpment. An ingenious series of five twin
locks permitted canal boats to safely make the journey up and down the escarpment, the
geological ridge over which Niagara Falls originally flowed.
Today, the Erie Canal has transitioned from an essential economic artery for a burgeon-
ing country to a pastoral waterway enjoyed by recreational boaters and curious tourists.
Thanks to advances in technology, the original five locks have been replaced by two. The
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