Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

Historic Site #:	00-001 (Exists) Type: A2,I1	Town:
Site Name:	Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor	GPS Coordinates:	0., 0.
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Description:
The Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor was established by Congress in 2000. The Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of the upstate New York. It includes the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain Canals and their historic alignments. The Corridor encompasses 4,834 square miles in 23 counties and is home to 3.2 million people.Wayne County has 35 miles of the current canal included in this corridor. There are also remnants of the original "Clinton's Ditch" and the Enlarged Erie in many places. Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Website National Historic Landmark Documents

Logo from Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor website

Historic narrative:
The original canal opened in 1825. Enlargement began in the late 1830's but some sections were not completed until the Civil War. By the dawn of the 20th century it was apparent that hauling freight on barges pulled by mules was no longer competitive in the age of the internal combustion engine. So in 1916, enlargement began and this time sized to handle a cross of Great Lakes Steamers so freight didn't need to be transferred to barges. It is unquestioned that the Erie Canal enable New York State to become the Empire State. No historic structure is more important on a national scale for the United States expanded westward through this canal corridor.

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