The Sankey Canal was the first British canal of the Industrial Revolution, opening in 1757. The Bridgewater Canal followed in 1761 and proved to be highly profitable.

From the 12th century Europeans have been busy constructing Canals, even with the primitive device of the flash lock. The mitre lock makes possible increasingly ambitious projects. In one …

Yet shortly after the locks opened in 1825, completing a man-made waterway that connected the Hudson River to the Great Lakes, the critics were silenced, and the Erie Canal, one of the …

In the United States, canal building began slowly. Only 161 km (100 miles) of canals had been built at the beginning of the 19th century, but before the end of the century more than 6,437 …

Explore the rich history of NYS Canals and how they shaped the development of New York State. Dive into our historical records and stories.

The variety of artifacts and research materials promotes the appreciation, preservation and restoration of canal-related sites in the United States and Canada. Our interpreters use these …

For over a hundred years, people had dreamed of building a canal across New York that would connect the Great Lakes to the Hudson River to New York City and the Atlantic Ocean.

The canal put New York on the map as the Empire State—the leader in population, industry, and economic strength. It transformed New York City into the nation's principal seaport and …

Discover the Erie Canal's history, from its groundbreaking construction and economic impact to its cultural significance and effects on Indigenous Peoples.

Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the upper Great Lakes above Niagara Falls, vastly reducing the costs of transporting people …