Why is the Erie canal important?

The Erie Canal was built to connect the waters of Lake Erie in the west and the Hudson River in the east. Proposals for its construction were aimed at improving access to the West by creating a cheaper, faster, and safer route for the transport of people and cargo. read more

The Erie Canal connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes through the Port of New York and the Hudson & Mohawk Rivers, cutting the time needed via the St. Lawrence significantly. That made the Port of New York the most important in 19h Century America, surpassing Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Charleston. read more

THE ERIE CANAL. The Erie Canal: Facilitating Travel TO Michigan Regardless of the prevailing views of Michigan’s land and climate, a more important factor is delaying any large-scale movement into Michigan in the immediate postwar years was the difficulty in reaching the territory. read more