Erie Canal Letterbox LbNA #40376
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Add Location| Owner: | Viking Valkyrie  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | May 26, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Schenectady |
| County: | Schenectady |
| State: | New York |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Tamsyn |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Apr 25, 2010 |
| Status: | FFaFFaa |
| Last edited: | May 26, 2008 |
The Erie Canal was a major thoroughfare for trade that opened the western United States through New York State in the early 1800's. Lock 23 on the canal is situated in Rotterdam, New York, along the Mohawk River Bike Path. Lock 23 has been clean-up and rehabilitated in the past few years and is now a park along the bike path.
Note: When you look for this box, please lock your car and take all valuables with you. We received a report that a boxer who spent no more than 20 minutes looking for the box had their car broken into and valuables stolen from the car and the trunk of the car. Rotterdam police have reported several incidents in this area.
To get to the Letterbox, start at the parking lot off Rice Road, just off I-890 near the Rotterdam Square Mall. Start at the parking lot and head toward Lock 8 on the modern-day Barge Canal. After a few minutes you will come to Lock 23 on the old Erie Canal on your left; walk over to the small yellow building. From the building, head south to the split-rail fence. Watching for muggles, duck under the fence and continue south along the dividing wall between the two lanes of the canal.
BE VERY CAREFUL WALKING ALONG THE TOP OF THE DIVIDING WALL!!! IT IS ABOUT A 20' DROP DOWN INTO THE CANAL ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PATH ON THE TOP OF THE WALL!
When you reach the southern end of the wall, walk down the stone steps to a small stone platform and turn around. Looking back up the steps, note the crack in the wall between two blocks on step 4. What you seek is in the crack; it is a snug fit so you might have to wiggle it a bit to get it out. You can stamp in on the steps out of sight of the path. Please re-hide the box well so it doesn't stick out of the crack.
The image for the stamp comes from a 19th century engraving in the NYS archives depicting a horse-drawn canal barge.
Note: When you look for this box, please lock your car and take all valuables with you. We received a report that a boxer who spent no more than 20 minutes looking for the box had their car broken into and valuables stolen from the car and the trunk of the car. Rotterdam police have reported several incidents in this area.
To get to the Letterbox, start at the parking lot off Rice Road, just off I-890 near the Rotterdam Square Mall. Start at the parking lot and head toward Lock 8 on the modern-day Barge Canal. After a few minutes you will come to Lock 23 on the old Erie Canal on your left; walk over to the small yellow building. From the building, head south to the split-rail fence. Watching for muggles, duck under the fence and continue south along the dividing wall between the two lanes of the canal.
BE VERY CAREFUL WALKING ALONG THE TOP OF THE DIVIDING WALL!!! IT IS ABOUT A 20' DROP DOWN INTO THE CANAL ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PATH ON THE TOP OF THE WALL!
When you reach the southern end of the wall, walk down the stone steps to a small stone platform and turn around. Looking back up the steps, note the crack in the wall between two blocks on step 4. What you seek is in the crack; it is a snug fit so you might have to wiggle it a bit to get it out. You can stamp in on the steps out of sight of the path. Please re-hide the box well so it doesn't stick out of the crack.
The image for the stamp comes from a 19th century engraving in the NYS archives depicting a horse-drawn canal barge.