Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief: Eastern White Pine Dedication
Thu, Jun 18
|Erie Canalway Trailhead
An Eastern White Pine tree was gifted to each of 28 ports from Buffalo to Lyons in 2025 during the commemorative 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal. Lyons community will dedicate this tree upon the arrival of the "Seneca Chief" on their Back to Buffalo Tour.
Time & Location
Jun 18, 2026, 6:00 PM – 6:20 PM
Erie Canalway Trailhead, Elm St, Lyons, NY 14489, USA
About the event
All are welcome to attend this Tree Dedication. NO RSVP Necessary.
Timing is approximate based on the arrival of the "Seneca Chief" which is expected at 5:30 p.m. Public is invited to welcome the arrival of the Seneca Chief at the dock and then walk to the tree location.
Community Conversation to take place immediately following this event.
Public Viewing of the "Seneca Chief" will be allowed during the Lyons Juneteenth Celebration from
3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 19th at the Lyons Dock near 27 Water St. Lyons.
Background:
On September 24, 2025, the Buffalo Maritime Center’s community-built replica of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief set out on a 33-day Bicentennial Voyage, commemorating Governor DeWitt Clinton’s historic 1825 journey from Buffalo to New York Harbor.
Crewed by staff and volunteers, the vessel departed Buffalo’s Commercial Slip - the western terminus of the Erie Canal - and traveled to New York City, docking at 28 ports along the Erie Canal and Hudson River. The voyage culminated at Pier 26, marking the 200th anniversary of the canal’s opening.
The Bicentennial Voyage became an opportunity to honor the past while shaping a better future.
At each port, an Eastern White Pine was planted in recognition of the Haudenosaunee, honoring their enduring connection to the land and a shared commitment to sustainability. Water collected from each stop was used to nourish the final tree in New York City - symbolically uniting the waters of New York State in an act of remembrance, connection, and renewal.