Lock 52 Historical Society of Port Byron

The Lock 52 Historical Society was formed in 1979, after the committee that had worked on the 1976 Bicentennial felt that the village and town should have it’s own organization working on historical matters. The funds that were left over were donated to the new organization, and it took the name of the local Erie Canal Lock that sat along the NYS Thruway, Lock 52. The group met in local halls, mostly in the village offices, and worked on preservation of local history and offering of programs. The group was very active in the saving of the Erie Canal Trail between Port Byron and Weedsport, with the group from Weedsport working west and the Lock 52 members working east. They cleared the trail and opened it to the public. It remained this way until the State cleared and widened years after.