Infrastructure
Erie Canal
Also Known As Clinton's Big Ditch
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A canal in New York State connecting the Hudson River at Albany to Lake Erie at Buffalo, opened in 1825 after eight years of construction. It gave the port of New York a water route to the Great Lakes and the interior of North America, sharply cutting the cost of shipping goods and driving New York's growth into the nation's busiest port, and it spurred a wave of American canal building in its wake.
Facts
Completion Year SignificanceGave New York a water route to the Great Lakes, sharply cutting shipping costs and driving the ports growth. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Erie Canal
1. Wikipedia: Erie Canal
WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead section
Political opponents of the canal, referring to its lead supporter New York Governor DeWitt Clinton, denigrated the project as Clinton's Folly and Clinton's Big Ditch.
1. Wikipedia: Erie Canal
1. Wikipedia: Erie Canal
WikipediaPart Of: Inland Waterway Transport, Construction and operationQuote, Part Of: Inland Waterway Transport, Construction and operation
Canal boats up to 3.5 feet (1.1 m) in draft were pulled by horses and mules walking on the towpath.
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