Chittenango Landing Dry Dock Complex
Why it's listed
Chittenango Landing Dry Dock Complex occupies a triangle of low land of about 6.6 acres in the Town of Sullivan, Madison County, New York, beside the Enlarged Erie Canal and the Chittenango Feeder. Built in 1856-57, it has three side-by-side bays, each serving a different load: a light dock for empty boats, a middle dock for partly loaded boats and a deeper dock for fully loaded boats. Water flowed in through gates from the canal, and a sluiceway about 1700 feet long carried it off to Chittenango Creek. Limestone retaining walls from 1897-98 line the canal edge. Historic photographs and maps show a busy boatbuilding and repair site with houses, a store, workshops and stables, and fifteen to twenty people worked there full-time in the later nineteenth century. It was listed for its role in canal commerce and transportation and for its engineering. The bays have been excavated, the gates reproduced and other foundations left for future archaeological study.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is significant for its link to the dry dock business that supported Erie Canal operations and commerce in the nineteenth century. It also has engineering and transportation value through its three-bay design and long sluiceway. Archaeological remains of boatbuilding and support structures add to its research potential.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92000458, listed April 30, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Lakeport Rd. at Old Erie Canal, Sullivan |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | April 30, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000458 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1856-1917 |
| Architectural style | Other: canal boat dry dock |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excavated and partly reconstructed; the dry dock is leased to the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum. The gates were reproduced in 1989-91 and a store/warehouse was reproduced in 1990-91 for use as an interpretive center. |
| Acreage | 6.6 |
| Coordinates | 43.06004, -75.87350 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92000458.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5102447
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.