Erie Canal Museum
Lockport, NY 14094

Notable for: site of the first US district heating steam-heating system

Plaque location, if specific: outside small exhibit at locks

Links:

More about District Heating history: http://www.energy.rochester.edu/dh/histeng.htm

http://www.lockport-ny.com/Tourism/canal.htm 

More about . . . this Mechanical Engineering Heritage Site
As a means of avoiding the basic inefficiency of heating buildings with individual small boilers, Birdsill Holly invented the "district" steam-heating system. Its basis was a large central boiler plant that furnished steam under moderate pressure to a group of buildings in a surrounding district through a loop of supply and return mains, heavily insulated to reduce heat loss. Each customer was charged for the amount of steam consumed, determined by metering the water of condensation. The concept was highly successful. Before the end of the century a number of district heating companies had been formed, principally in large cities.

Visiting Info: regular hours, May-Oct, during canal operating hours

Ceremony Notes: