The canal system of New York State is a complex network of natural and man-made waterways that connect two of the Great Lakes that border the state with the Atlantic Ocean. The canals also incorporate Lake Champlain and the Finger Lakes. The development of this system bridges several generations and gives the canal system a genealogy of its own. [Read more…] about New York State’s Canal Heritage: An Engineering Family Tree
Northern Inland Lock Navigation Company
Old Erie Canal Lock 33 at St. Johnsville, NY
In 1825 the Erie Canal‘s 363 miles of navigable water opened the west and heralded a new era of growth for the fledgling United States. It all happened so fast. Well, fast in historic time. Thirty-three years if you count the Inland Lock Navigation Companies.
The momentum really begins with the completion of the first phase of the Erie Canal. Within 20 years of its opening, heavy traffic could no longer be accommodated by a single lock system that was only four feet deep. [Read more…] about Old Erie Canal Lock 33 at St. Johnsville, NY