The Erie Canal Museum opened its doors in 1962 housed in the last existing weighlock building in the United States. The National Register 1850 Syracuse Weighlock Building, a small Greek revival building located in the heart of Downtown Syracuse, was originally built for a purpose similar to weigh stations on highways today, collecting tolls on cargo in order to pay for construction and maintenance. The building itself was almost lost to the construction of the Interstate-81 if it weren’t for the efforts of the Junior League of Syracuse and Canal Society of New York. The Museum has always been dedicated to sharing the history of the 363 mile waterway that originally opened in 1825, forever impacting the history of our nation. Today, the Erie Canal Museum shares the story of the transformative effects of the Erie Canal on the people and places of the past, present and future and endeavors to inspire the public to critically engage with history as a step towards being thoughtful citizens.