Erie Canal Opens: NY Becomes America's Trade Hub
Governor DeWitt Clinton poured a barrel of Lake Erie water into New York Harbor on October 26, 1825, completing the ceremonial 'Wedding of the Waters' that marked the Erie Canal's opening. The 363-mile canal connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River, reducing shipping costs from Buffalo to New York City by 95% and cutting travel time from three weeks to one. Freight that had cost $100 per ton by wagon cost $10 by canal boat. The impact was immediate: New York City became America's commercial capital, surpassing Philadelphia and Boston. Towns along the canal, including Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo, boomed. Midwestern farmers could finally ship grain east cheaply. The canal paid for itself within seven years and generated revenues that funded public schools.
October 26, 1825
201 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on October 26
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