WEEDSPORT - There is no denying the importance of the Erie Canal's role in shaping New York and especially many communities in central New York.

In fact, it is because at least in part of the canal, that places such as Weedsport grew into significant communities during the 1800s.

New York strives to celebrate this history annually with Canal Splash. Canal Splash encourages Erie Canal communities across the state to participate in activities and create events that are designed to perpetuate and educate about the history of the canal, especially on a local level.

In Weedsport, the canal was an important means of transportation and bringing in and sending out goods.

Though it seems that Weedsport has always historically been a crossroads of sorts, Canal Splash tied in perfectly with the Old Brutus Historical Society's current exhibit, “You Could Get There From Here.”

The exhibit showcases the history of travel in and around Weedsport.

“The Erie Canal was very important to transportation here,” said Penney Cosentino, a member of the historical society who helped organize Canal Splash. “But even before that this was always a crossroads. The Indian trails, the canal, then railroads, we had four lines here with a depot, to airplanes, the Thruway. We have always been a hub of the area.”

Every year, the historical society takes part in the Canal Splash celebration and this year, they decided to focus on their current exhibit of transportation in and around Weedsport.

There were indoor exhibits in the museum depicting scenes of the train stations and canal vessels, as well as mannequins dressed in period garb, depicting people like barnstorming pilots and canal captains and turn-of-the-century motorists.

Outside the museum were a couple of classic Model-T cars and performers singing songs of the canal and traveling along its waters.

Also taking part in the festivities inside was muralist Dawn Jordan. Jordan has created numerous murals throughout the region depicting scenes from canal life.

She was the artist that created the mural that adorns the side of the Old Brutus Historical Society building, showing what Weedsport looked like during the canal period, depicting a bustling center with businesses, opera houses and people lining the streets of the town.

The historical society has a lot of crucial information to share, that they hope events such as Canal Splash will help preserve.

“We hope that this helps people learn about the canal,” Cosentino said. “We hope people from out of town, but also people from right here in Weedsport will be able to learn something from this. We hope this helps people learn about the history of the village and of the canal and they can just have a little fun while they visit us and learn about all of this.”