Thirty-three years ago, Mike Murphy and his wife started Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises.

It's a bit of sightseeing on the water, mixed with rich history.

What You Need To Know

  • Mike Murphy and his wife started Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises 33 years ago
  • The business continues to be family-run
  • Business is challenging this year because of COVID-19 concerns
​

"The locks are a lot of fun. Just the history of how it was all built and the engineering that went into this back in the 1800s was just amazing," says Eric Matney, of Silver Creek. 

Murphy and his wife created the business from nothing.

"We bought this property here and it was a steel fabricating shop. There was nothing in there. All the windows you see, we put in. We put the sidewalk in. We planted all these trees," says Mike Murphy. 

As their business and family grew, relatives became interested in participating.

Even Murphy's grandson is now a captain. 

This year is especially challenging for the business due to the coronavirus, but challenges won't stop the family from continuing to pull together — just like they have for more than 30 years.

"When this COVID-19 came up, it cut the value of our business in half. It's fear. You’ve got to make it through it. You don't want to lose everything you've worked for 33 years, so you have to just keep going," says Mike Murphy. 

For more information about the cruises, visit their website.