The building of the Erie Canal was an engineering marvel that unleashed the growth of a young nation that was the United States.  Spearheaded by the vision of Gov. Dewitt Clinton, New York State built the waterway that opened the West to settlement and made New York City the center of finance and commerce.  Opened in 1825, the canal proved so commercially viable that construction of an enlarged Erie Canal began just eleven years later.  The success of the canal spawned the growth of cities, towns, businesses, and industries along its route in upstate New York.  Photos from the Erie Canal Museum collection take you back to the heyday of the old canal to view images of mule-drawn boats wending their way through scenic countryside and marvel at the engineering of the bridges, aqueducts, and locks that facilitated the functioning of the canal.  Join the authors as they take a step back in time for a ride that illuminates the people whose lives were shaped by the canal.
Softcover, 6 x 9, 128 pgs.