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The Erie
Canal
cuts
across New York State, connecting the Hudson River and the great cities of the East with
Lake Erie and the upper mid-west of America. Once the economic engine for New York
State and the entire Great Lakes region, the Erie Canal today provides an unparalleled
recreational resource!
In the early 1800's, visionaries such as New York
State Governor Dewitt Clinton were seeking a way to
link the growing cities of the
east with the western frontier. The Erie Canal was
completed in 1825 at a cost of $7 million.
Within just 9 years of its
opening, the tolls collected on the canal had
exceeded the cost of construction! |
Canal boat entering Erie
Canal Lock #29 at Palmyra, NY.
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Curling on the Canal at
the Port of Palmyra Marina.
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Dubbed "Clinton’s Ditch" in shortsighted mockery of
the Governor's dream, the Erie Canal brought
tremendous economic prosperity and growth to the
towns and cities along its banks throughout the 19th century.
Its commercial benefits largely past, today the Erie
Canal provides bountiful recreational opportunities
all year round. Pleasure boating, hiking, cycling, picnicking and more await a whole new
generation of "canawlers." And each winter the grand old
Scots game of curling take center stage for a day of
outdoor fun. |
