| Erie Canal | Start point Hudson River near Albany, New York (42.7834°N 73.6767°W) | End point Niagara River near Buffalo, New York (43.0237°N 78.8901°W) | Branch(es) Oswego Canal, Cayuga–Seneca Canal | Branch of New York State Canal System |
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How far West did the Erie Canal go?
Built between 1817 and 1825, the original Erie Canal traversed
363 miles from Albany to Buffalo
. It was the longest artificial waterway and the greatest public works project in North America. The canal put New York on the map as the Empire State—the leader in population, industry, and economic strength.
What is the path of the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal is a
363-mile waterway that connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River in upstate New York
. The channel, which traverses New York state from Albany to Buffalo on Lake Erie, was considered an engineering marvel when it first opened in 1825.
Did the Erie Canal connect to the West?
United States: Transportation revolution
The best-known conduit, the Erie Canal, connected the Hudson River to the Great Lakes,
linking the West to the port of New York City
.
Where is the best place to see the Erie Canal?
- Harbor Visitor Center: Gateway to the Canals (Waterford, Saratoga County) …
- Historic Mabee House and Museum (Rotterdam Junction, Schenectady County) …
- Amsterdam, N.Y. (Montgomery County) …
- Gems Along the Mohawk (Herkimer, Herkimer County) …
- Erie Canal Museum (Syracuse, Onondaga County)
Why is the Erie Canal so low?
Water levels drop on the canal after the flow of water is reduced
. … The Erie Canal is drained every year to allow repairs and maintenance over the winter.
How many Irish died building the Erie Canal?
While there are no official records of immigrant deaths,
somewhere between 8,000 and 30,000
are believed to have perished in the building of the New Basin Canal, many of whom are buried in unmarked graves in the levee and roadway fill beside the canal.
What two bodies of water does the Erie Canal connect?
- Erie Canal, which connects the Hudson River with Lake Erie, 338 miles to the west;
- Champlain Canal, which connects the tidal portion of the Hudson River with Lake Champlain, 63 miles to the north;
How old is the Erie Canal?
Begun in 1817 and opened in its entirety 1825
, the Erie Canal is considered the engineering marvel of the 19th Century.
How did they dig the Erie Canal?
Instead, the thickly forested land was cleared and the 40-foot wide canal was dug and the locks were constructed by the
raw manpower of an estimated 50,000 laborers
, including a large contingent of recently arrived Irish immigrants.
What was the nickname of the Erie Canal?
Clinton’s Ditch
– Nickname for the original Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.
How deep is the Erie Canal now?
| JUST THE FACTS | Canal dimensions, 1862 Enlarged Erie 7 ft deep x 70 ft wide; lock 110 ft long | Canal dimensions, 1918- present Erie Barge Canal 12-23 ft deep x 120 -200 ft wide; locks 310 ft long | Cost to build $7,143,789 | Return on Investment 10 years |
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Does the Erie Canal freeze?
Because it was so shallow,
the Canal could freeze very quickly
, trapping boats in ice. But the frozen canal also created many opportunities for recreation, such as ice skating at the widewaters or the aqueduct.
Where are the locks on the Erie Canal?
From tide-water level at Troy, the Erie Canal rises through a series of locks in
the Mohawk Valley
to an elevation of 420 feet above sea-level at the summit level at Rome.
Where does the Erie Canal start in Albany?
| Erie Canal | Start point Hudson River near Albany , New York (42.7834°N 73.6767°W) | End point Niagara River near Buffalo, New York (43.0237°N 78.8901°W) | Branch(es) Oswego Canal, Cayuga–Seneca Canal | Branch of New York State Canal System |
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What can you do at the Erie Canal?
- Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda. …
- Riverwalk along the Niagara River. …
- Buffalo Niagara Heritage Museum. …
- Flight of Five. …
- Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride. …
- Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. …
- Lift Bridges. …
- Genesee Valley Park.
