WEEDSPORT #- The Erie Canal was an important key to the development of towns and villages all across New York state, a fact that the Old Brutus Historical Society of Weedsport has long recognized and celebrated.

Denny Randall, president of the historical society, said Saturday afternoon that the idea of immortalizing the canal's history at the museum had been around for some time.

“We'd seen the mural on Burritt's cafe,” Randall said. “And we'd seen the mural in Port Byron and we thought that maybe doing something here on the side of the building might be a possibility. We had the blank wall and we thought it would be a good place.”

The mural project, which depicts the Erie Canal as it passed through Weedsport circa 1900-1910 was made possible through the efforts of Jean Carrington.

“We had exhausted our usual possibilities for funding,” Randall said. “And that was when Jean got in touch with us and wanted to make a donation in memory of her ancestors from the area.”

Carrington is the fourth generation of her family to live in the Weedsport area, a facet of her life she said she cherishes.

“I grew up here,” Carrington said. “I grew up coming here and spending summers with my grandparents. They had a farm on Emerson Road and my aunts and uncles were here and cousins.”

With Carrington's funding the historical society was able to move forward with the project.

The next step was to find the artist, and local artist Dawn Jordan was chosen to create a painting showing a day in the life along the canal as a steam-powered boat goes past one of the opera houses that once stood in the village.

“She did an incredible job with this mural,” Randall said. “We wanted to do something a little different, usually you see the mule or horse drawn boats but we wanted to show a steam boat and she did a great job depicting that.”

Randall said that Jordan put in a great deal of research at the museum as well as speaking with other area historians about the canal and the boats that once road on it.

Jordan also incorporated Carrington and her ancestors in the painting, with Carrington, dressed in a lavender gown standing on a bridge surveying the whole scene.

“A painting is worth a thousand words,” Jordan said. “I'm thrilled that Jean funded this project and I am so happy to see it complete.”

At the official dedication ceremony, Carrington and Jordan unveiled a plaque dedicated to Carrington's ancestor George Hill Ray and his descendents, many of whom worked navigating the Erie Canal.

“All of this came as a complete surprise to me when I first talked to them in October about this,” Carrington said. “But I am very happy to see it and all of this is very sentimental to me.”

The ceremony drew a number of onlookers, eager to see the work. “We're so excited to see this,” Jeanne Baker, Brutus Town Historian, said. “I'm happy that this is here and it is something we are able to share with everybody.”

The painting bridges the gap, commemorating the past and helping the village to take a step forward. “This is a wonderful thing,” James Hotaling, town supervisor said.

“This gives the town and village the chance to remember our roots, and this is what our roots are all about, but it also provides us with a vision to move forward.”