The ohio and erie canal was one of ohios most important canals during the mid nineteenth century. Bernstein, peter l wedding of the waters the erie canal and the making of a great. While the canal had many fathers, its foremost proponent and promoter was dewitt clinton. Thank the erie canal for spreading people, ideas and germs. Although it is a worthwhile read, to me this book is more of a political history of new york state from 1810 to 1830 than a book on the building of the erie canal. This waterway supplied jobs while it was being built, and brought prosperity to. The boat carried mules and people from albany to buffalo. Renowned illustrator and muralist dean cornwell vibrantly captured life on the banks of the ohio and erie canal in a 24by8 foot mural to commemorate the sesquicentennial celebration of the founding of coshocton. Young learners will be introduced to an important stage in history when they read building the erie canal. Ohio and erie canal by boone triplett history books. Ohio and erie canal encyclopedia of cleveland history case. It describes what a trip on a boat would be like on the erie canal. New bremen and the miamierie canal new bremen historic.
Home learn history and culture historical timeline. The history and art of new yorks erie canal suny press excelsior editions, 2020 chronicles the story of the erie canal from its inception to today. Erie canal postcard history series erie canal museum. The canals nearly bankrupted the state government, but they allowed ohioans to prosper beginning in the 1830s all the way to the civil war. The erie canal tells the story of one of americas most ambitious publicworks projects. Read more about new book features history, art of the erie canal.
Jul 12, 2017 with innovation and prosperity come access. General history of inland navigation foreign and domestic by j. The erie canal and the paradox of progress, 18171862. During the late 1810s, governor thomas worthington and governor ethan allen brown both supported internal improvements, especially canals. Ohio and erie canal encyclopedia of cleveland history. Erie canalway national heritage corridor history and.
Erie to the ohio river, and was one of ohios most important canals during. Erie canalway national heritage corridor history and culture. Although it is a worthwhile read, to me this book is more of a political history of new york state from 1810 to. Inspired by the erie canal in new york, the state of ohio began surveying routes in 1822 for its own grand internal improvement project. Vintage postcards depict life and industry along the canal, including not only the erie itself but also the lateral and feeder. The ohio and erie canal was a canal constructed during the 1820s and early. George washington discussed the possibility of building a canal to connect lake erie with the ohio river as far back as the 1780s, but it was not until 1825 that the ohio legislature voted to fund the project and construction commenced. The canal connected toledo at lake erie to cincinnati at the ohio river and. Construction on the canal began in 1825 and was completed in 1845 at a cost to the state.
After the flood, a few sections of the canal continued in use hauling cargo to local industries. Thank the erie canal for spreading people, ideas and germs across america for the waterways 200th anniversary, learn about its creation and impact the. May 31, 2015 take a quick trip down the erie canal of explaining as we look at how this revolutionary transportation system changed the course of united states history. March 30, ny legislature passes an act for establishing and opening lock navigation within the state.
Inspired songs that tell the story music and lyrics by foster brown. The canal was built to create a trade route from new york. The ohio and erie canal, connecting lake erie at cleveland with the ohio river at portsmouth, was constructed by the state of ohio between 182532 to. Hed be especially interested in a volume that had a lot of maps, technical explanations, etc. The canal society of ohio is a volunteer organization, founded in 1961, dedicated to recreation, education, research and preservation related to ohios historic canals. The ohio and erie canal was a canal constructed during the 1820s and early 1830s in ohio.
Aug 25, 2014 inspired by the erie canal in new york, the state of ohio began surveying routes in 1822 for its own grand internal improvement project. The new york state canal system is not only rich in history, but also culture. The erie canal museum, founded in 1962, seeks to keep erie canal history and heritage alive. Touring on a packet boat with clarissa burroughs in 1835. Erie canalway national heritage corridor historical timeline. A video history of the erie canal, from the initial proposals for a canal to the present day operation of the canal. Donna winters in her new book, bluebird of brockport published by bigwater publishing takes us into the life of lucina willcox.
A forecaste of the erie canal, july, 1792 by francis adrian vanderkemp. Ohio and erie canal waterway, united states britannica. The erie canal museum in syracuse has invited current volunteers and canal and history lovers, to attend a free training session for volunteer docents on monday, february 3rd. The canals nearly bankrupted the state government, but they allowed ohioans to prosper. The corridor stretches 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate new york, from buffalo to albany and north along the champlain canal to whitehall. When the canal opened in 1825, it unlocked the western interior for trade and settlement, and made new york city the nations most powerful commercial center. History slow until 1832, when the ohio and erie canal begun in 1825 to connect lake erie and the ohio river was completed. The ohio and erie canal, connecting lake erie at cleveland with the ohio river at portsmouth, was constructed by the state of ohio between 182532 to provide cheap transportation and to promote the states economic development. This book is filled with photographs, interesting facts, discussion questions, and more, to effectively engage young learners in such a significant retelling of events. Ohio canal collections finding aid prepared by cara gilgenbach, april 1997.
Kendalls illustrated history brings into focus the enormous geographic and social impact of this stunning technological feat. To purchase a copy of the book towpaths, a collection of articles from the canal society of ohio, click here. The erie canal readerpoems, essays, travelogues, and fiction by major american and british writerscaptures the colorful landscape and life along the erie canal from its birth in the new york frontier, through its heyday as a passage of culture and commerce, to its present decline into disuse. Congress recognized the erie canal s significance to our nation by establishing the erie canalway national heritage corridor in 2000. Completed a decade later, the 309milelong ohio and erie canal connected cleveland, akron, massillon, dover, roscoe, newark, columbus, circleville, chillicothe, waverly, and portsmouth. The first 5,000 copies of the book of mormon were printed on a press that arrived via canal boat in 1830. This story was based on a song about the erie canal. He believed that his city could only become a major economic force by the building of the erie canal. An erie canal cruise company, based in herkimer, operates from midmay until midoctober with daily cruises.
Cleveland became the canals northern terminus through the efforts of attorney and state representative alfred kelley, who supervised construction of its northern. Martin morganstein, development director of the museum, and joan h. Bluebird of brockport, a novel of the erie canal by donna. Folklore, songs and speech lingo emerged from those. Building the erie canal by linda thompson nook book nook. Jul 03, 2017 thank the erie canal for spreading people, ideas and germs across america for the waterways 200th anniversary, learn about its creation and impact the erie canal in syracuse, new york. Ohio and erie canal resources welcome to the akron. The students will travel the ohio and erie canal using primary sources and draw conclusions as to how the canals were built and operated, construction of the canal boats, and the purpose of the canal system. George washington first proposed the idea of a canal connecting the great lakes to the ohiomississippi river system in 1784. The erie canal, which celebrates its 200 th birthday this year, provided many miraclesnot the least of which included a means of travel and communication that allowed the church of jesus christ of latterday saints to spread and thrive better than it would have otherwise. The history of the erie canal dvd erie canal museum.
When clarissa burroughs left her new jersey home in 1835 to travel on the erie canal, she brought with her more than a diary in which to record her experiences for her mother. My dad is a civil engineer who enjoys reading the odd popular history book. Reading 1 was compiled from harlan unrau and nick scrattish, historic structures report, cuyahoga valley. The history of the important miami and erie canal detailed in a new. Marys falls canal soo canal between lakes superior and huron was opened in 1855, cleveland. Docents, also known as tour guides, take groups through the museum, explaining key information about the erie canal and the 1850 national register syracuse weighlock. The ohio and erie canal history teaching institute. The erie canal as a facilitator of gods kingdom mormon history. Jack gieck, author of a photo album of ohios canal era, 182519. When i got to the end of the book, i was quite disappointed. It was specifically built to transport anthracite coal. The miami and erie canal, dredged across the length of ohio and through the heart of. It is simple enough for them to understand the basics of what the canal is all about. Bluebird of brockport, a novel of the erie canal by donna winters.
Martin morganstein, development director of the museum, and joan. The canal society of ohio is a volunteer organization, founded in 1961, dedicated to recreation, education, research and preservation related to ohio s historic canals. The erie canal is a 363mile waterway that connects the great lakes with the atlantic ocean via the hudson river in upstate new york. There have been a number of books written about ohios nineteenthcentury canal system, especially about the. It also had connections to other canal systems in pennsylvania. The ohio and erie canal cost approximately ten thousand dollars per mile to complete, and the miami and erie canal cost roughly twelve thousand dollars per mile to finish. The building of the erie canal, like the construction of the. By 1896 lengthened chambers let most erie canal locks pass two boats through in tandem.
This is a cute book for children to learn about the erie canal. The erie canal as a facilitator of gods kingdom mormon. It allowed goods to be shipped to and from new york city and the upper midwest, starting the migration that. Timothy donovan and rebecca jones macko talked about the ohio and erie canal, a system made up of two canals built between 1825 and 1832. Erie canal is a compilation of 200 vintage images from the erie canal museums documentary collection of new yorks canal system. A history of the potomac river canal consisting of three parts. The erie canal was the nations first major transportation system.
The erie canal is a destination for tourists from all over the world, and has inspired guidebooks dedicated to exploration of the waterway. This book hit all my buttons as history, as an engineering history about a world class project, about. I want to get him something on the erie canal, but i havent been able to tell if theres anything good out there. The original erie canal begun in 1817, completed in 1825. The account of the history of the erie canal and the lateral. Timeline world history documentaries recommended for you 48. Chemung, chenango, crooked lake, oneida lake, and genesee valley canals abandoned, late 1870s. The ohio and erie canal was one of ohio s most important canals during the mid nineteenth century. Folklore, songs and speech lingo emerged from those individuals working along the canal. The erie canal by peter spier goodreads share book. Historical timeline erie canalway national heritage corridor. Take a quick trip down the erie canal of explaining as we look at how this revolutionary transportation system changed the course of united states history. The canal, stretching from new york to lake erie, opened up the west in the early 1800s.
Cregg, volunteer guide and researcher at the museum, have carefully selected from the museums extensive collection over two hundred images that depict life on the erie canal. The informational video shown at the beginning of museum tours. Building the erie canal by linda thompson nook book. Roscoe village is an idyllic painting come to life. Dec 21, 2014 timeline world history documentaries recommended for you 48. Many immigrants worked long and hard on clintons ditch to create this magnificent waterway. A natural history guide to the ohio and erie canal towpath trail. Department of the interior, national park service, 1984. Definitely more of a history book as opposed to an engineering book on how the canal was built, but definitely worth the read to realize the impact the canal had on society at the time. Erie across state from troy on the hudson river to tonawanda, niagara river.
It connected akron with the cuyahoga river near its outlet on lake erie in cleveland, and a few years later, with the ohio river near portsmouth. A visionary and astute politician, clinton had been a u. Ohio and erie canal arcadia publishing history books. Chemung, chenango, crooked lake, oneida lake, and genesee valley. A recently released book details the history of the canal in photos. Dreams of floating on the erie canal have flowed through lucina willcoxs mind since childhood. Account book for various digging and maintenance expenses, 182834. Senator and was the ten time mayor of new york city. It allowed goods to be shipped to and from new york city and the upper midwest, starting the migration that created the usa as we know it today. As one of the largest public works projects in american history, the erie canal also inspired a nationwide transportation revolution. The cruise goes through the history of the canal and also takes passengers through lock 18. The ohio canals live again through the eye and hand of artisthistorian frank n. In the 1850s railroads increased the communitys commercial and industrial activity.
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