The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library recently completed a Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) Special Program grant called Champlain Canal Stories, a dynamic project celebrating the Champlain Canal’s 200-year history as a vital transportation corridor. This project produced a compelling video documentary series composed of 27 short video segments, each 5–10 minutes long, that collectively total over 2.5 hours. These videos explore work, domestic life, and the rich cultural history of the canal, offering a vibrant, interdisciplinary approach to storytelling.
The Champlain Canal Stories series draws on diverse sources such as written memories, diaries, newspaper articles, oral histories, and interviews, making it an intimate and detailed portrayal of life along the canal. To enhance the visual storytelling, the videos incorporate historic photographs, drawings, maps, artwork, models, and objects alongside live footage. These elements combine to provide a cohesive sense of place, illuminating the canal’s significant impact on the history, arts, and traditions of the communities it touches.
This project continues the Folklife Center’s tradition of using short-form documentaries to highlight regional heritage, following the successful Battenkill Inspired (2017) and Lake George on the Water (2019) series. As with these earlier projects, Champlain Canal Stories was created in collaboration with numerous local partners, including historical societies, cultural organizations, and libraries. Partners such as the Whitehall Historical Society, Chapman Museum, and Saratoga County Historian contributed collections, expertise, and stories.
The videos are accessible to the public through 12 iPad kiosks located at partnering sites along the canal and online via the Folklife Center’s website and YouTube channel. Additionally, a GIS StoryMap, developed in partnership with Skidmore College’s GIS Department, provides an interactive way to explore canal history and will be updated with new content over time.