This year’s Convention Days celebration in Seneca Falls promises a weekend of lively history, scholarly insight, and family-friendly programming to mark the legacy of the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention and the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal.
Set for July 18-20, the event—titled “Ripples of Reform”—will feature a full schedule of walking tours, talks, exhibits, and living history presentations, according to Women’s Rights National Historical Park.
“This Convention Days weekend brings us a unique opportunity to celebrate both the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention and the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal,” said Michelle Riter, acting Interpretation Manager at the park. “We are excited to host programs that explore the revolutionary ideas that the canal spread throughout New York State.”
The program includes presentations by scholars in women’s history, Erie Canal history, and Indigenous studies. Patrick Stenshorn of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor will lead a walking tour to the canal locks CS 2&3 in Seneca Falls. Historian Bill Hunt will deliver a talk titled “Pump-makers at the Seneca Falls Convention and the Discovery of Greenhouse Gas,” exploring the lives of three notable signers of the Declaration of Sentiments.
Authors and historians Susan Goodier and Karen Pastorello will lead a panel on the Erie Canal’s ties to the women’s suffrage movement, while historian Terry C. Abrams will present “Displacement and Dispossession: The Haudenosaunee and the Erie Canal,” examining the canal’s impact on Indigenous communities.
To bring history to life, costumed interpreters will portray Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass, engaging visitors in the spirit of reform. The Seneca Falls Historical Society will host outdoor Victorian games throughout the weekend.
Visitors can explore special exhibits inside the Visitor Center, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s songbook, which will be on public display for the first time. The New York State Museum’s “Enterprising Waters” exhibit will offer insight into the Erie Canal’s legacy.
A Community Expo will feature local historical and community organizations such as the Seneca Falls Historical Society, Matilda Joslyn Gage Center, Erie Canal Museum, Friends of Women’s Rights National Historical Park, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, and the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Museum.
For the full program and schedule, visit www.nps.gov/wori/planyourvisit/convention-days-2025
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