The Erie Canal is not just a waterway – the canal is also a channel of chilling legends and mythical tales. Legends have shrouded the canal and western New York for centuries, including a mysterious serpent sighting and the story of a feminist ghost who warns railroad travelers of danger.
Paranormal expert and author Mason Winfield has dedicated his life to uncovering and preserving the eerie tales of Western New York. Winfield has published 12 books on the paranormal and founded Haunted History Ghost Walks, where he leads people on journeys through haunted places. Another project Winfield leads, the Spirit Way, is a research and teaching group that explores the mystical elements of New York.
“I see myself sort of as a preserver,” Winfield said. “I preserve the folk culture, and I update it as much as I can.”
One story Winfield has helped preserve is that of Eliza O'Brien, or Eliza of the trackways. She was a powerful feminist ghost known for safeguarding travelers on the canal. Winfield said witnesses claim to see a woman’s silhouette pacing the railroad tracks outside Rochester.
“Story goes that the train sees this woman with billowing Victorian gowns running down the track faster than a woman should be able to run,” Winfield said. “And the train started slowing down, slowing down, slowing down. The woman won't get out of the way and they're honking. And then by the time the train stops, they're like 20 feet from the edge of a missing bridge, and the ghost is gone. And the story goes that might have been Eliza, on the lookout.”
Erie Canal's Loch Ness Monster?
In another legend traced back to 1910, a ship captain saw a giant serpent more than 20-feet long under his boat.
“He said that it was a big snake. It had odd features,” Winfield said. “He said it had a long tongue, big round eyes, sharp teeth, and some sort of a mustache that you might think would be tendrils.”
Listen to the full episode of Canal Keepers here or wherever you get podcasts.
