Medina gears up to welcome Seneca Chief, replica of famed canal boat

Provided photo: The Seneca Chief was built as a replica of the 73-foot-long boat that carried Gov. DeWitt Clinton across the canal when construction was completed over 363 miles in 1825.

MEDINA – Various members of the tourism industry in Orleans County met Monday afternoon to finalize plans for a visit of the historic Seneca Chief in Medina on Aug. 12 and 16.

The Seneca Chief is an exact replica of the boat carrying Governor Dewitt Clinton, which opened the Erie Canal in 1825. This year’s trip is a trial run from Buffalo to Brockport. Next year the boat will go from Buffalo to New York City as part of a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Barb Gorham and Jim Hancock hold up a banner provided by the Canal Corporation which will be placed in the canal basin during the visit of the replica Seneca Chief to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the canal next year.

At Monday’s meeting were Jim Hancock, chair of Medina Tourism Committee; Tourism Committee members Kathy Blackburn, Barb Gorham and Jan Smith; Dawn Borchert, director of Orleans County Tourism; Chris Busch, president of Orleans Renaissance Group; Justin Bruce, manager of Harvest Restaurant; Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman; and Brian Hellner, operator of Medina’s Canal Tours and a former vice president of the Buffalo Maritime Center board.

The Buffalo Maritime Center built the full-sized replica of the Seneca Chief from 2019 to 2024 with the help of hundreds of volunteers.

Hancock learned about the project this past January and contacted Brian Trzeciak, executive director of the Buffalo Maritime Center, asking if the boat could make a stop in Medina. In March, Trzeciak visited Medina, and scoped it out, Sherman said.

“This year’s trip is a precursor to what is going to happen next year,” Hancock said. “They will spend a full day here on Sept. 25 enroute to New York City, and we will have a full schedule of events planned.”

On Monday, and again on the return trip on Friday, the Seneca Chief will be docked in the canal basin and will be open for free tours from 4 to 7 p.m. The public is invited to visit for a couple of hours or make a day of it.

Other features include a Buffalo Maritime Center tent filled with merchandise; opening remarks by Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman and Brian Trzeciak from Buffalo Maritime Center at 4 p.m. musical entertainment by local busker Rob Robinson at 4:15 p.m.; and a series of speakers at 5:30 p.m., including Roger Allen and Greg Dudley, BMC boatbuilders, Tonawanda Reservation historian Terry Adams and Medina historian Todd Bensley.

At 7 p.m. on Monday and Friday, the crew and volunteers with the Seneca Chief will be treated to a complimentary dinner at Harvest Restaurant and lodging at Bent’s Hotel, if rooms are available.

The schedule for both days the Seneca Chief is in the canal basin are the same, with the exception of Aug. 16, when an additional speaker at 5:30 p.m. will be John Montague, founder of the BMC.

Members of various segments of the tourism industry met Monday afternoon to finalize plans for the arrival of the historic Erie Canal boat in Medina on Aug. 12 and 16. Clockwise from left front are Brian Hellner, operator of Medina’s Canal Boat tours and former board member of the Buffalo Maritime Center; Barb Gorham from Medina’s Tourism Committee; Justin Bruce, manager of Harvest Restaurant; Dawn Borchert, director of Orleans County Tourism; Chris Busch, president of Orleans Renaissance Group; Marguerite Sherman, mayor of Medina; Jim Hancock, chair of Medina’s Tourism Committee; and Kathy Blackburn and Jan Smith, both members of Medina’s Tourism Committee.

“The village is very excited to welcome the Seneca Chief, a traditionally built, full-sized replica of the boat that opened the Erie Canal in 1825,” Sherman said in a memo from her office. “This 73-foot boat will be doing a sea trial in preparation for next year’s bicentennial canal celebration, where it will complete a Bicentennial Voyage from Buffalo to New York City in September and October of 2025.”

In order to make this the best experience possible, Sherman said traffic will be limited in the canal basin. On Sunday and Thursday evenings, the roadway between the Napa building and Hemp House will be blocked off and re-opened once the boat departs on the 13th and 17th.

In addition, the parking area between the canal and the grassy area closer to the buildings will be blocked off so tents and a staging area can be set up. The parking area directly behind the buildings will be accessible, but will be limited to one-way traffic so business owners can get in and out.

Those planning to visit the Seneca Chief in Medina’s canal basin are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, as there will be no seating provided.