THE LAY OF THE LAND
The Center for Land Use Interpretation Newsletter
Summer 1999
 

CLUI Goes to Washington

CLUI Goes to Massachusetts

Commonwealth of Technology

Have You Ever Navigated the Erie Canal?

In the Gallery
Territory in Photo-Color
:
The Post Cards of Merle Porter

Ongoing Research: Flowing Out By Measured Units

Work of Wendover Residence Program on Display

Wendover Report:
Annual Work Party Improves Physical Plant

Books, Noted

Have You Ever Navigated the Erie Canal?
CLUI Probes Upstate New York for East Coast Operations Hub

Igor Vamos enjoying that sinking feeling in Lock 10 on the New York State Canal System.

CLUI photo

The search for appropriate locations to house CLUI operations on the East Coast continues, led by CLUI program coordinator Igor Vamos. "We're looking for a site with enough space for offices, exhibits, a planned interpretive denatured trail, and to store very large objects," said Mr. Vamos, "preferably on the navigable waterways of the Hudson River or the canals so we have docking space for barges. We have plans in the works for barges."

Mr. Vamos has toured virtually every available mill complex with river frontage north of Kingston. Several excursions by boat, including up the Mohawk River/Erie Canal system, have revealed potential sites that are not easily detectable from surface streets. Research is ongoing to contact owners of desirable properties, both on and off the market.

The region of upstate New York has been selected for a variety of reasons, including the mix of spectacular sites in the area, and proximity to Manhattan. "It has been part of the Center's plan from the beginning to have a node at both of the major urban centers of the country," says CLUI director Matthew Coolidge, "As operations out of Los Angeles progress, developing programs and exhibit sites with a western emphasis, the need to bring an eastern venue on line is rising.

"Ideally, these urban exhibit venues should be looked upon as portals or vitrines, looking out from big, crowded boats onto the horizon of America, which we bring into view through exhibits and other programming. Like holes in the urban fabric through which places flow in and ideas flow out."