BUFFALO, N.Y. — Dozens of folks were cheering at the sound of the horn on Tuesday, as the replica Seneca Chief boat was carried out from the Buffalo Maritime Center's Longshed.
"I wanted to be here for it," said resident Mark Sauberan.
This was a special delivery members of the community have been waiting four years for! The vessel sits at 73 feet long and weighs 44 tons. The outside is finished, but the inside still needs work like seating. Roger Allen is the master boat builder on the project.
"This is a historic vessel. This is the Seneca Chief that Governor DeWitt Clinton took from Buffalo to Albany, eventually NYC when they opened the canal in 1825."
Allen says over 200 volunteers helped build the vessel.
"We're preserving and preserving Maritime heritage," Allen says.
Keelin: "Is this the first time you built something like this?"
Allen: "Anything this big for me? Yes! And I've been doing this since 1978."
From those volunteers, Doug Hartley shared his memories.
"Greg and Roger guided the work. They show you how to do it, or somebody else on the crew who knew how would show you, and you start working it."
It's an exciting time for Western New York. The boat was lowered into the Port of Buffalo and went on a voyage back to Canalside.
On September 24th, 2025, the boat will travel from Buffalo to The New York Harbor. It will make 28 stops. Its final stop is in New York City on October 26th. You can check out the boat for yourself too. Tours will begin on May 25th.
RELATED VIDEO: