Phoenix Bridge House

The Phoenix Bridge House is a small canal-era building in the village of Phoenix, on the Oswego River in Oswego County. It was built in 1917 while the Barge Canal was under construction, and it still holds the original levers and controls that once raised and lowered a nearby drawbridge.

Inside, a small, informal museum fills the bridge and buoy houses with local history, including a model of the Day Peckinpaugh. The Bridge House Brats, a group of young people, maintain it and welcome visiting boaters to Phoenix. The drawbridge itself came down in the 1980s, so the controls are a rare leftover.

What to Know

• The original levers and controls are still inside, a close look at how a canal drawbridge was run.
• A model of the Day Peckinpaugh is on display in the museum.
• Young people known as the Bridge House Brats staff the museum and greet boaters.
• It is a handy stop for anglers and boaters passing through Phoenix on the canal.