Celebrate 200!



On April 15, 1817, the New York State legislature voted to build the Erie and Champlain canals. Dignitaries turned the first shovel of soil in Rome on July 4, marking the start of Erie Canal construction. Eight years later, the canal opened from Albany to Buffalo. Its impact was immediate, profound and lasting.

The canal was enlarged three times since its grand opening in 1825 to accommodate larger boats and more traffic. The most recent enlargement was completed 100 years ago in 1918.



Today, the New York State Canal System is a 500-mile network of inland waterways that includes the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Together, they connect the Hudson River with Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake, and Lake Erie via the Niagara River, allowing boats to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the upper Great Lakes.

