Spartan Sweeps 08'
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January 2008:
The Burnt Hills Rowing Association is proud to announce the date of this
year's Spatan Sweeps 08' race. We plan to hold the race on Saturday,
October 11th.
Sweeps Information Request form.
January 2008:
The Burnt Hills Rowing Association is proud to announce the date of this
year's Spatan Sweeps 08' race. We plan to hold the race on Saturday,
October 11th.
Spartan Sweeps Stakes Regatta
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Welcome to the Seventh annual Spartan Sweep Stakes Regatta for scholastic rowers. This exciting race will again provide an excellent venue for the less experienced rowers to test their metal and a real endure for more experienced rowers. Are these rowers in shape and up to the physical and mental challenges? You can't easily train for this exciting and endurance-testing race. Based on last year's races, the many rowers from schools that participated thoroughly enjoyed the day, crossing the finish line with their heads held high (their arms and legs exhausted).
The race starts at the Burnt Hill's Rowing Association's Mohawk Valley Rowing Center. Rowers head up the historic Mohawk River/ Erie Canal, around an island approximately 3¾ miles upstream and return to the finish line in front of the boathouse. Rowers will pass under several bridges and cruise past the historic Schenectady and Scotia shorelines with all their history.
The rowers will be launching adjacent to a famous location where the Native Americans staged their raid on the Schenectady Stockade in 1690, during the French and Indian War. It wasn't a pretty sight. Downstream slightly in the warm up area, you will see the large concrete piers remaining from the once very large trolley bridge that went from Schenectady to Saratoga. For 25 cents, a Union college student (Boys school) could travel to Skidmore (Girls school) and have a "good" time!
Anyway, traveling upstream along the path of the Indian raid, you will pass under an old railroad bridge and the new Freeman's Bridge (three predecessors of this bridge washed away in floods). Rounding the corner, on your port side, will be the former ALCO plant. That is short for American Locomotive. They built many of the steam engines in this country starting in 1851 and later converted to diesel locomotives. They also made tanks in WWII. They went out of business in the 1960's.
Just past ALCO you travel under the arches of the stockade railroad bridge. This infamous bridge is responsible for many of the serious floods in the Schenectady and Scotia area as ice gets caught on the many arches. Yes, the weather has always been bizarre here. In 1816, they had an ice storm on July 4th. In 1906, a hailstorm broke 6,000 windows at the GE plant!
Just past this bridge, you will steer to starboard and round a large granite structure on the starboard bank heading towards Scotia (part of the Underground Railroad). This was the site of a very exotic (many structures and piers( and dilapidated looking covered bridge across the river built in 1808.
Ahead, on your starboard side before traveling under the Scotia side of the Western Gateway Bridge, is Jumpin' Jacks, a favorite spot for rowers passing in the summer.
On the same side and just past the bridge is the Glen Sanders Mansion. The Mansion is located in Scotia and dates to 1783. Traveling off to port you round an island and rejoin the Mohawk river near the General Electric plant and start heading for the finish line. G.E. was founded here in 1892 by Thomas Edison and had as many as 40,000 workers a few decades ago.
Passing under the Schenectady side of the Western gateway bridge, the stockade will be on your starboard. This was where the first settlers established Schenectady in 1661. The Dutch settlers purchased the land from the Indians and in 1672 bought more land for 400 hands of wampum, 30 barrels of lead, 3 bags of gunpowder, 3 aukers of good beer and 1 koate of duffels.
Just before the railroad bridge is the Union College boathouse. Union College was founded a long time ago and had an excellent rowing program in the mid 1800's, than took a 100-year hiatus before starting again.
We forgot to tell you, in 1821, the DeWitt Clinton made its first inaugural passenger run here- 12 miles in just under two hours! That's slower than you are rowing. Well, it's past the ALCO plant again and under the next two bridges. You now have about 2000 meters to the finish line! So, you ask yourself where the old Erie Canal is. Well, until 1922, the Erie Canal traveled from 100-2000 feet along the south side of the river. Now it's called the Erie Barge Canal and is part of the Mohawk River with its extensive system of locks and dams.
WIKIPEDIA
The Erie Canal (currently part of the New York State Canal System ) is a canal in New York State that runs from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. Construction of the Canal began July 4, 1817, at Rome, New York. The Erie Canal opened on October 26, 1825 . It was 363 miles (584km) long, 40 feet (12m) wide, and 4 feet (1.2m) deep. There were 83 locks along the canal, each 90 feet by 15 feet (27m by 4.5m).
"Where the Erie Canal crosses the Mohawk River
near Schenectady, N. Y."
The Rexford Aqueduct
The Rexford Aqueduct, or Upper Mohawk River Aqueduct, crossed the Mohawk River from south (west end) to north (east end) at an angle of about 10 degrees NNE. Built in 1842, it replaced the original 1828 Rexford Aqueduct. It was built of random ashlar masonry, probably limestone, and consisted of 14 masonry arches spanning approximately 45 feet to support the towpath, and 14 masonry piers approximately 45 feet wide to support the original timber canal trunk.
While rowing up the river you will pass through two current day RailRoad bridges after which you will approaching the "Island of the Cayuga's", your turn around point. This part of the river is Scotia NY.
Scotia, NY
As you approach the "Island of the Cayugas" on your starboard you will see Freedom Park.
After you pass Freedom Park next on your starboard you
will see famous "Jumpin' Jacks", home to the U.S.
Coors Light Ski Team
On the far side of Jumping Jacks is the Scotia
Island Nature Conservancy, a wonderful bird sanctuary.
Schenectady, NY
You will then round the "Island
of the Cayuga's" (Guyohkohnyo or the People of the
Great Swamp) as you pass under the Western Gateway Bridge.
After you round the "Island
of the Cayuga's" and return toward the Finish Line, Schenectady
Community College will be on your Starboard. After the college you
will then you'll be in the heart of Schenectady's
historic Stockade area and soon pass Union
College's Boathouse.
Just past the stockade on the starboard is the old ALCO plant, or Schenectady
Locomotive works.They built many of the steam engines in this country starting
in 1851 and later converted to diesel locomotives.
They also made tanks in WWII. ALCO went out of business in the 1960's.
Special thanks for the information gathered from these following fine sites.
