Have You Seen These Amazing Photos of Utica’s Harbor Point?

Let's start with a brief history of the Utica Harbor, now Utica's Harbor Point.

The Utica Harbor was completed in 1918 and it was considered an essential connection to the Barge Canal, the second phase of the Erie Canal which was just north of Utica's downtown area. As a key manufacturing textile city in the northeast at the time, it was vital for Utica to be able to move its goods east and west along the canal system, which ultimately required construction of the Utica Harbor.

The Utica Harbor is unique as it had its own lock - the only one connecting an adjacent city along the entire canal system. After decades and the development of alternate forms of transportation to deliver goods, Utica's once bustling harbor became less and less important and less maintained by New York State. Ultimately, the lock fell in disrepair and was officially shut down at some point in the early 1970s.

Over the last 60 years, through several city and county administrations, there has been work and planning on developing the harbor as a recreation or tourist attraction. There were two key accomplishments that occurred during this time that gave the project hope.

In 2008, New York State authorized the transfer of about 15–20 acres of Canal Corporation-owned land to the newly formed Utica Harbor Point Development Corporation (UHPDC), giving the city stewardship over the harbor. The UHPDC then secured nearly $20 million in state and local funds to carry out a master plan which included reconstructing bulkheads, extending utilities, improving pedestrian access, and setting design standards to promote mixed commercial, residential, and recreational use.

One of the final obstacles breached was in 2022 when the city, with the assistance of Oneida County and State Legislators, officially acquired the iconic “1933 Building” from the NY State Canal Corporation, enabling further redevelopment and environmental cleanup.

The idea of turning Utica Harbor into a destination that could include walking paths, kayak launches, performance stages, food trucks, and family-friendly attractions—a true four-seasons destination - was actually now something that was obtainable and last Thursday, June 5, 2025, what was believed to be virtually impossible, became a reality with the official opening of Utica Harbor Point.

“The grand opening of Harbor Point marks the culmination of decades of vision, investment, and hard work—and, on June 5th, it begins a new chapter for an entire district, transforming Utica’s historic waterfront on the Mohawk River and Erie Canalway Trail into a distinctive destination for recreation, business development, and tourism,“ said Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime.  “This is the launch of renewed vision to our community, and I could not be more proud to showcase the progress to date, knowing greater milestones lie ahead.”

Check out these amazing photos taken by photo journalist Nancy L. Ford, for TSM and WIBX.