Erie Canal

The Erie Canal is a historic waterway in New York State, completed in 1825, that connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River. It spans approximately 363 miles, allowing ships and boats to travel inland efficiently, bypassing long and difficult overland routes. The canal greatly boosted trade and settlement in the Midwest by making transportation of goods faster and cheaper. Its construction was a major engineering achievement of the 19th century, helping to transform the economic landscape of the United States and facilitating westward expansion.