Erie Canal

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Erie Canal

• Clintons Ditch

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• In the early 1800s, there was a dramatic move in
  the US to unite the nation for economic reasons.
• Internal Improvements such as roads and canals
  were built that linked the east coast with the
  western territories.
• For decades, the people of New York had suggested
  building a canal from the Mohawk River to the
  Great Lakes.
• In 1817, digging of the canal began at Rome, New
  York. Governor DeWitt Clinton led celebrations.

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• The canal was designed to travel alongside
  existing waterways. Dug by hand, the original
  canal was 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Soil
  from the canal was used to build a towpath next
  to the canal for mules and horsed to pull PACKET
  BOATS as there was no current in the original
  canal.

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• Digging the canal required the labor of thousands
  of men and animals often digging in swamps and
  forests.
• Many of the laborers were Irish immigrants who
  moved along the length of the canal as they
  worked.
• The canal sides were fitted with stone blocks
  requiring the work of skilled masons. The bed of
  the canal was packed with clay.
• At the intersections of large rivers, the canal
  was often placed in an aqueduct.

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Canal Route
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• The western end of the canal was 250 feet higher
  than its eastern origin.
• In order to make up for the difference (and to
  make the canal flat and not one massive slide
  down hill!!!) at dozens of places along the route
  LOCKS were built to raise or lower ships.

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• A series of 5 locks were needed to raise the
  canal when the canal reached the Niagara
  Escarpment. That place became known as LOCKPORT,
  New York

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Lockport, New York
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Where should the canal end??

• The question was should the canal end at the
  Village of Black Rock on the Niagara River? Or
  should it continue several miles south and end at
  the Village of Buffalo at the end of Lake Erie?
• Both villages wanted the TERMINUS of the canal to
  be with them. The business required at the
  terminus would make one of them rich and
  prosperous.
• The decision was made in Albany to end the canal
  at Buffalo after the village spent a lot of
  money deepening Buffalo Creek.

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Grand Celebration

• The building of the canal ended at Buffalo on
  October 26, 1825.
• New York Governor DeWitt Clinton rode the packet
  boat Seneca Chief to New York City where he
  poured a cask of Lake Erie waters into New York
  Harbor Wedding of the Waters
• When Clinton left Buffalo, cannons fired along
  the route of the canal to New York City
  reaching the city in 90 minutes.

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• The canal brought trade and people to Buffalo
  as well as all of the villages along the path of
  the canal.
• Throughout the years, the canal was deepened and
  widened. Today the NEW YORK STATE BARGE CANAL
  actually ends at Tonawanda.

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