Skip to main content

Geddes

Erie Canal
Society: ASCEMain Category: CivilSub Category: Water TransportationEra: 1800-1829DateCreated: 1825Hudson River to Lake ErieState: NYCountry: USAWebsite: http://www.asce.org/Project/Erie-Canal/Creator: Wright, Benjamin, Geddes, James

In its day, the famous Erie Canal was the world's longest canal and America's greatest engineering feat. It was the principal route for emigrants from the East and agricultural products from the West. Before construction of the canal, New York City was the nation's fifth largest seaport, behind Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New Orleans. Within 15 years of its opening, New York was the busiest port in America, moving tonnages greater than Boston, Baltimore and New Orleans combined.  

YearAdded:
1967
Image Credit: Courtesy Flickr/Doug Kerr (CC BY-SA 2.0)Image Caption: Erie Canal - Waterford, NYEra_date_from: 1825
Subscribe to Geddes

Innovations

Erie Canal

In its day, the famous Erie Canal was the world's longest canal and America's greatest engineering feat. It was the principal route for emigrants from the East and agricultural products from the West. Before construction of the canal, New York City was the nation's fifth largest seaport, behind…

Read More

We hope you enjoyed this essay.

Please support America's only magazine of the history of engineering and innovation, and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to Invention & Technology.

Donate

Stay informed - subscribe to our newsletter.
The subscriber's email address.