The Erie Canal

1. The Erie Canal An Engineering Marvel of the 19th Century

2. Background • The Erie Canal was first proposed because of a recurring problem of limited transportation between costal ports and the Great Lakes in the interior. • Rivers could not be used for transportation because the path from the Lakes to the sea was obstructed by the Appalachian Mountains. • Passengers and freight had to travel overland, a journey made more difficult by the rough condition of the roads.

3. Background • It was decided that an inland water route to the West would boost the country’s economy. • The new canal would run from the Hudson River to the eastern shore of Lake Erie. Map of the Erie Canal -- c. 1840

4. Proposal & Logistics • The original canal was 363 miles long and ran from Albany, New York on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York on the shores of Lake Erie. • The finished canal would be 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Profile of the original canal

5. Proposal & Logistics • The canal was built in a pass through the Appalachian Mountains called the Mohawk Valley. • The Mohawk Valley offered a natural passageway between the Catskill Mountains to the south and the Adirondack Mountains to the north. Satellite image showing the natural passage created by the Mohawk Valley.

6. Proposal & Logistics • A problem with the Mohawk Valley is that it rises 600 feet from its base on the Hudson River to the shore of Lake Erie in the north. • A system of locks would have to be used to raise boats up the canal. Each lock would only raise a boat 12 feet, so a long string of locks would be needed. Aqueduct over the Mohawk River at Rexford

7. Engineers • The principle engineer for the Erie Canal project was Benjamin Wright. • Benjamin Wright was also commissioned as the surveyor of the Mohawk Valley in order to map a route for the project. • He was known as the “Father of American Civil Engineering.” Benjamin Wright

8. Construction • Construction began on July 4, 1817 at Rome, New York. • The main problems were felling trees and clearing out the soil dug up to make the canal. • Parts of the canal had to be abandoned because of last minute route changes. Stonework of lock abandoned because of route change, at Durhamville, New York.

9. Construction • As more workers arrived at the project, the rate of construction increased rapidly. • It took three men to build one mile in a year. This was a very good speed, considering the circumstances. • A total of 7,000 men, mostly Scottish and Irish immigrants, worked on the canal. • Construction was completed an the canal opened on October 26th, 1825.

10. Obstacles • One of the major obstacles in the Erie Canal project was the Montezuma Marsh. • Over 1,000 men died of swamp fever and construction almost stopped. Images of the Montezuma Marsh.

11. Obstacles • Another obstacle on the way to lake Erie was the Niagara Escarpment. It was partially blasted with dynamite • This was an 80 foot high cliff that led up to the shores of Lake Erie. A series of tall locks were placed in a natural ravine to get around it. This lock in the canal gave rise to the modern community of Lockport.

12. Route • The Erie Canal ran from Albany New York on the Hudson River to Buffalo, on the shore of Lake Erie. • The route basically followed the route of the Mohawk River, up the southern edge of the Mohawk Valley. 1853 Map of New York canals, including the Erie Canal

13. Enlargements & Improvements • After the canal opened, a number of enlargements and improvements were added. • The main solution used to patch leaky parts of the canal was a cement that set underwater, called hydraulic cement. • In 1834 a massive enlargement of the canal took place. This was Known as the “First Enlargement”. Many parts of the canal were completely restored in the First Enlargement.

14. Enlargements & Improvements • There were many feeder canals and tributaries added to the Erie Canal. • Many other canals linking up to the Erie Canal were also built in the region. • The Erie Canal was eventually combined with these other canals to form the New York State Barge Canal. View of the lock at Pittsford, NY

15. Competition • As the canal brought travelers to New York City, it took business away from other ports such as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland. • In 1837, the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad opened so to bypass the slower parts of the canal. • Other railroads opened across the East Coast, as they were a faster and more efficient means of travel.

16. Competition • After the opening of the new bypass railroad, a track spanning the whole length from New York City to Albany and Buffalo was completed. Map of the Erie Canal and surrounding New York railroads.

17. Impact • The Erie Canal made an immense contribution to the wealth and importance of New York City, Buffalo, and New York State. • The Canal also helped bind the still-new nation closer to Britain and Europe. British repeal of the Corn Law resulted in a huge increase in exports of Midwestern wheat to Britain. Packet dock in Syracuse, New York c. 1905

18. The End A PowerPoint Presentation by Jacob Stokes