One hundred and fifty years ago, the Brooklyn Flint Glass Company relocated to Corning by way of the Hudson River and the Erie Canal, and became the successful glassmaker Corning, Inc. This summer, an innovative GlassBarge will travel those waterways in honor of that trip.
Not a barge made of glass, but rather a canal barge outfitted with glassmaking equipment, the GlassBarge left Brooklyn Bridge Park on May 17 and will glide through the Hudson Valley this month on its way to the Erie Canal before ending at the Finger Lakes.
The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) is launching the 30′ by 80′ GlassBarge to share the story of glassmaking in Corning. The barge will make four Hudson Valley stops where the public can board via timed tickets between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and watch free glassblowing demonstrations with CMoG’s patented all-electric equipment. For tickets and locations go to www.cmog.org/glassbarge.
Antique enthusiasts will want to keep an eye on the water, since the barge will be accompanied by the Lois McClure, a replica of an 1862 canal barge, and the C.L. Churchill, a 1964 tugboat, both part of the collection of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.
It’s not just glassmaking that’s being honored: The barge’s journey also highlights the role of the state’s waterways in shaping industry, culture, and community, according to the CMoG – GlassBarge is the 2018 signature event for the statewide celebration of the Erie Canal Bicentennial.
Schedule
June 1–3: Yonkers
June 8–10: Poughkeepsie
June 15–17: Kingston
June 21–24: Albany/Troy/Waterford
