April 23, 2022: Dedication of New Erie Canal Murals at Lyons Dry Dock, NY

New Erie Canal Murals Unveiled at Lyons Dry Dock in Wayne County 

Where: Lyons Dry Dock, 7665 Dry Dock Road, Lyons, NY 14489 

Contact: Mark De Cracker, Mural Mania, 315-573-8170 or videomark@gmail.com 

Mural Mania dedicated two murals, the "Poorhouse Lock 56" and “Honoring those who worked on the Erie/Barge Canal" in Lyons, New York, on Saturday, April 23, 2022, in celebration of the 17th annual Canal Clean Sweep hosted on Earth Day weekend. The iconic murals span two historic eras of the Erie Canal. Mark De Cracker of Mural Mania said the murals honors "those that built and maintain the Erie Canal.  These murals, located along the Empire State Trail at the Lyons Dry Dock, give a viewer a glimpse back in time to honor those who built, maintained, and transported on the Erie Canal.

"The first mural Honoring those who worked on the Erie/Barge Canal was completed in April of 2021 and features the Dipper Dredge No.3, the tugboat DeWitt Clinton and a barge used for the canal spill.  Dipper Dredge No. 3 is in the Lyons Dry Dock but has not been operated since 1985.  It was built in 1929 but has some “recycled” components from 1909.  As a steam powered vessel, it is unlikely that Dipper Dredge No. 3 will ever return to functioning condition.  Across the top of the mural are the words 'Honoring those who worked on the Erie/Barge Canal.'  We used a sepia background overlayed with color to bring the focus to the workers.

"The second mural, completed in November 2021, depicts old Erie Canal Lock 56, often referred to as the Poor House Lock because of its proximity to the former Wayne County Poorhouse. Also depicted in this mural is the Poorhouse Grocery store.  A store on the Erie Canal where boaters bought goods as they traveled back and forth. This mural pays tribute to those that were instrumental in the success of the Erie Canal these include father and son Canal engineers, Jacob Leach and Augustus M. Leach of Lyons, portrayed chatting on the bulkhead of Lock 56. The mural also honors two boyhood friends Richard Garrity and Glen Salisbury who were hoagies on the Erie Canal. Richard Garrity wrote the book Canal Boatman. In 1990 these two friends were united after 70 years and shared their stories of traveling through this lock and on their way to NYC.  In special tribute to Allyn Perry who has lived in the Poorhouse grocery store all her life, we painted the Allyn Perry boat going through the lock carrying local Hotchkiss peppermint oil going west."--Mark De Cracker , Mural Mania.

Write-up of the event: https://www.fingerlakesdailynews.com/2022/04/22/1412469/#:~:text=A%20store%20on%20the%20Erie,the%20bulkhead%20of%20Lock%2056.

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Program

• Welcome: Mark De Cracker, Mural Mania/Trail Works, Inc.
• Jim Brady, Lyons Town Supervisor
• Brian Stratton, Canal Director 
• Cory Reynolds, Mural Mania 
• Allyn Perry, Lives in the Poorhouse 
• Christin Worth, Tourism Director 
• Brian Manktelow, NYS Assembly
• Lisa Saunders, New York Stop CMV Project
• Wayne County Bi-Centennial representative
• Summary of the murals- Mark De Cracker
• Medley- Towpath Friends/15 Miles on the Erie Canal
• Cutting the ribbon
• Refreshments

Travel show on Empire State Trail and mural paintings along the Erie Canalway Trail

Image caption: Volunteer painters stand in front of the incomplete mural, Poorhouse Lock 56, on the day PBS personality Darely Newman of Travels with Darley came to help paint the mural on July 29, 2021. From left to right: Mark De Cracker, Cory Reynolds, Christina Lauber, Darely Newman, Lisa Saunders, Betty Rose Chardeen and daughter, Natalie Rose Chardeen. (Photograph by Christine Worth and supplied by Mark De Cracker.)

The travel show is now airing on TV and on the JOURNY website:

New York’s Empire State Trail - "Travel along New York’s Empire State Trail, which stretches from New York City to the Canadian Border with host Darley Newman. Hike and bike the trail, stopping in small towns and big cities for craft beer, local arts and culture." Watch: https://journy.tv/watch/travels-with-darley/new-yorks-empire-state-trail/

About 10.35 minutes into the show, host Darley Newman and Mark De Cracker of Mural Mania are seen walking the Erie Canalway Trail in Newark, New York, where Mark tells Darley how the murals seen along the Trail preserve the history of the Canal. Then Darley visits a studio in nearby Lyons where the Poorhouse Lock 56 mural, seen above, is being painted by artist and Iraq war veteran, Cory Reynolds, along with several other volunteers in July 2021. Cory gives Darley some paint and a brush and the chance to paint a little spot on it, though she does worry about messing it up. Cory explains how he finds painting murals therapeutic. He says, "I really enjoy doing it because I have PTSD. I come in here when my mind starts to wander and it just kind of relaxes me....If you got a lot going on in the real world, you can come in here and you can paint - put yourself in a little spot and that's your little spot that you have to worry about, nothing else. I'm glad to have you putting a little spot on there because that's one spot I don't have to worry about and I can move on..." 

More  about the Poorhouse Lock 56 mural in the Finger Lakes Times: https://www.fltimes.com/news/iraq-war-veterans-lyons-mural-wins-heritage-corridor-recognition/article_97d830be-ba36-5f9b-bad4-884c4947e374.html?fbclid=IwAR04_Lhe9VNC15Tflmt5SvW-1aD0-mBPNmsy_nf7EwePVSho83kaAF5xMWY