Photograph, Erie Canal weigh lock, from north

New York State charged tolls for cargo transported along the Erie Canal. The amount of the toll depended on the weight of the cargo. Weigh locks were used to determine a cargo’s weight. The Rochester Weighlock, seen here, was built in 1852. It was located on the west bank of the canal running along the east side of the Genesee River, just south of Court Street and a couple of blocks away from the Genesee Aqueduct. Canal boats would enter the covered area, where the toll was determined by the weight of the loaded boat. This view faces south/southwest.

Credit: Photograph by Albert R. Stone (1866-1934). From the Albert R. Stone Negative Collection, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, NY.
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