Published: October 26, 2022
Historic Erie Canal Photo: Aqueduct over the Mohawk River. This photo shows the early years of the Erie Canal as its stone aqueduct passes through Rexford. Source: Federal Highway Administration
The Erie Canal was completed on October 26, 1825, making it the longest artificial waterway in North America. Construction of the Canal began on July 4, 1817, and ended almost 8 years later. It was 4 feet deep, 40 feet wide, and 363 miles long when completed. The Canal created a new era for western transportation and northern commerce by connecting New York, New Orleans, and the waters of Lake Erie with the Hudson river.
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (NHC) was established by Congress in December 2000 to protect and promote the system. The Erie Canalway NHC spans over 500 miles and includes New York's canal system as well as the communities along its shores. Today the Canal is used mostly by recreational watercraft, and has become a tourist attraction with a number of parks and museums dedicated to its history.
Related Documents
Title 54 of the U.S. Code: National Park Service and Related Programs
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Act
Explore documents in the Congressional Serial Set Collection.
Search Coastal Zone Information Center Publications.
Additional Article Sources and Resources
"History of the Ohio and Erie Canal," National
Park Service (NPS)
"Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor," (NPS)
"Opening of the Erie Canal," Library of Congress
Story Map, "Travel with Us Down the Erie Canal," Fish and Wildlife Service