Construction of the Erie Canal began on July 4, 1817, to connect the Hudson River to Lake Erie and open the west to settlers. Using advanced Dutch engineering, human and animal power, and hundreds of skilled masons, the canal featured 18 aqueducts and 83 locks. Completed in 1825, it carried boats with 30 tons of freight and spurred westward expansion, making New York the nation’s busiest port within 15 years.

Read the full article on our website: From the Atlantic to the Great Lakes: The Erie Canal