Stromboli's Rolling Log: Day 189, Tues. Oct. 9, 2018-- The 'disappearing' falls at Seneca Falls, NY. More birds!

It came about by design. There were falls in Seneca Falls until 1915. We'll let an article from the local newspaper three years ago tell the history.

“There were 116 businesses and 60 homes in that area when the state put out a demolition contract in the fall of 1914 to take it all out, To make the canal navigable for the modern, state-of-the-art barges, they had to flood this area to create a heavy-duty body of water.

There was nearly 50 feet of drop around Seneca Falls, rapids which had been somewhat tamed by a smaller, five-lock canal built in 1815, around which the town’s commerce grew up. Once the demolition contract was made and the Barge Canal’s creation was inevitable, about two dozen homeowners had their houses moved up the hill, drawn by horses, to other parts of the village. Until Tanya Warren of the Seneca Museum of Waterways and Industry started tracing their origins last year, no one had ever made a list of which houses started their life in the Flats. Those who own those homes will receive plaques to place on them for the centennial at a community center reception on Aug. 12."

Gould Pumps was at one time the world's largest hydraulic pump manufacturer in the world. They are still in business today after Mr. Chisdale Holly started it in the mid 1800's. Th surrounding lands after the Revolutionary War were divided up into plats for the veterans and the north end of Cayuga Lake was given to the members of the Cayuga tribe who also fought in the war.

Seneca Falls played a prominent role in the Women's Rights Movement. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the organizers of the 1848 Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention and recognized as "the philosopher and chief publicist of the radical wing of the 19th century women's rights rights movement", lived in Seneca Falls from 1847 to 1863. Amelia Bloomer, popularized a dress reform in her newspaper, The Lily, which became known as bloomers, a design believed to be influenced by native women of the area. Abolitionist causes against slavery were popular in Seneca Falls.

One of the plants that helps balance the refuge food is bloodwort seen here.

The other ingredients are the 'emergent' plants like cattails.

Near the NWR are many Osprey nests on the power poles.

Thousands of geese each day come and go from the refuge.

We did not spend the day there, but were back on Montezuma NWR seeking more birds. We did just that, and by afternoon on this hot day it seemed the Canadian Gees and other birds, mainly waterfowl, were finding the cooler spots for the day.It reached 87 F today while we were out there.

We didn't add any new birds to the list today as we saw about 10 fewer species than yesterday. There were some good conversations with folks from Chicago (who wanted to move to NC), and another group from Georgia.

After the NWR drive, we did head out to find some ice cream and celebrate , but were not able to find a spot on the road all the way past Lyons where we had been yesterday, but so as not to be on a "wild goose chase", Ruth turned that ride into a photographers moment by getting some color shots and some more of the apple orchards, They are intriguing!

We did drive through Waterloo, NY on the way back. It is next to Seneca Falls. Waterloo is the home of the Memorial Day idea. They were celebrating it in 1866 well before it officially became a Federal Holiday in 1971. They honored the Civil War veterans right after the war. That was much earlier when it had been called Decoration Day

Lake Cayuga named after the native tribe.

Waterloo, birthplace of Memorial day

Ruth stopped in for some meds.

Our day ended with a dinner of homemade "mac and cheese". Ruth admits she is getting better at that, but cannot come close to her sister Mar's recipe. (It is the best).

Tomorrow we do not need a full laundry but some socks and sweatpants, just enough to get home in five days. So that will suffice and we will use one of the two washers here in the Park. We will see you tomorrow our last full day in the USA until we get home. There are 4 days in Ontario during which we hope to include Niagara Falls, Long Point bid observatory and London, Ontario where Ruth will do some genealogy on grave sites.