As the Erie Canal marks its 200th year since its full operation between Lake Erie and the Hudson River, the Democrat and Chronicle will commemorate the milestone with stories and photographs throughout the year that capture life and landscapes along the canal across the changing seasons.
The advent of the Erie Canal was years in the making with debate about who was going to pay for it and which route it would take. Progress finally began on July 4, 1817 with a ceremonial groundbreaking in Rome, NY. That marked the start of construction for both the Erie and the Champlain Canals, according to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
As portions of the canal were completed, they were opened up for travel. By 1825, the Erie Canal spanned 363 miles, combining natural waterways—rivers and lakes—with man-made channels.
The original canal measured just four feet deep and 40 feet wide. An expansion in 1862 increased its dimensions to seven feet deep and 70 feet wide, earning it the name the Enlarged Erie Canal. The last enlargement was made in 1918 making it 12 to 23 feet widened it to 120 to 200 feet and became known as the Erie Barge Canal.
During these enlargements, the canal changed its path and today the Enlarged Erie Canal is 338 miles and still uses the same locks, lift bridge and aqueducts that were built in the early 1900s, according to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
Some fun facts about the Erie Canal from the New York Canal Corporation:
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: As the Erie Canal celebrates 200 years, a look at life and landscapes today in photos
Reporting by Tina MacIntyre-Yee, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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