Bicentennial Edition of “Life on a Canal Boat” Published
Purple Mountain Press (PMP) is proud to announce the third edition of Life on a Canal Boat: The Journals of Theodore D. Bartley, 1861-1889, published in association with the Canal Society of New York State and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM). As New York celebrated the bicentennial of the Erie Canal this past year, PMP partnered with these two important New York State history organizations to keep this classic in print. The refreshed third edition contains a dedication to Barbara Bartley, granddaughter of canal boat owner Theodore Bartley.
Originally published by Purple Mountain Press in 2004, this book was edited by Russell P. Bellico, author of several PMP books, including Chronicles of Lake Champlain,Chronicles of Lake George, and Empires in the Mountains, and features a preface and postscript by Arthur B. Cohn, co-founder and former executive director of the LCMM.
Who Was Captain Bartley?
Captain Bartley owned three Lake Champlain canal boats and kept a fascinating day-to-day journal of his life from 1861 to 1889, offering insights into life on the Erie Canal, Lake Champlain, and other Northeastern waterways during the late 19th century. Bartley witnessed history in the making: the Civil War, ironclads, famous sailing ships in New York harbor, Central Park, the theaters of New York City, the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, the first electric lights and telephones, the Statue of Liberty, the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia, the Blizzard of ’88, and the grand Centennial Celebration of Washington’s Inauguration in New York City in 1889.
According to experts in the field, Bartley’s record is unequaled in the literature of 19th-century canal boats.
Historic Canal Boat on Exhibit
During their heyday in the 19th century, more than 200 sailing canal boats, such as those captained by Bartley, traveled the waterways of New York and Vermont. In 2004, the LCMM launched the Lois McClure, a full-scale replica of an 1862 sailing canal boat.
After 20 years of service, the 88-foot-long Lois McClure was transferred to the Canal Society of NYS in 2023 and made its final journey this past December — down the Thruway! — to the Old Erie Canal Heritage Park in Port Byron, where it will remain on view as a major new tourist attraction.
By Rebecca|2026-01-19T21:38:09-04:00January 19th, 2026|Articles|
Originally published by Purple Mountain Press in 2004, this book was edited by Russell P. Bellico, author of several PMP books, including Chronicles of Lake Champlain, Chronicles of Lake George, and Empires in the Mountains, and features a preface and postscript by Arthur B. Cohn, co-founder and former executive director of the LCMM.