Having a Blast - How the Erie Canal was Built

Before America ever became known as a "land of plenty," the Erie Canal was constructed, bringing the nation a path to move goods westward. Connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes through 363 miles of hand-carved waterway, this project transformed the nation's economy and made the East Coast what it is today. Though it was started using only rudimentary tools, thousands of laborers overcame wilderness and deadly swamps to create America's first major public works project. This modern marvel stands today, after 200 years, as a quaint day-trip, filled with landscapes, history, and charming sights along the way.

Before Construction

Before the American Civil War, during the Antebellum period, coastal cities competed for wealth in the West. Without access to the East Coast markets, the old Northwest struggled, since goods had to be sent first down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans before they could head East. Even with the completion of the National Road (from Maryland to Virginia) in 1817, farm produce was too bulky to be sent on that route economically. A transportation corridor was suggested in 1807 to the Great Lakes, opening access to the middle of the nation and further developing America's commerce. Then-President Thomas Jefferson thought the canal project was "little short of madness," and New York's governor, DeWitt Clinton, earned the project the nickname "Clinton's Folly."

Water Transport: A Stone Aqueduct of the Erie Canal crosses the Mohawk River in Rexford. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

Constructing the Erie Canal

The same year the National Road was completed, construction on the Erie Canal began. The canal was divided into different sections overseen by different contractors, all supervised by Benjamin Wright, who initially worked as a surveyor and eventually became chief engineer. Though Wright was given this title, it's important to note that not a single professional engineer worked on this project. In fact, there were very few civil engineers in existence at the time. Over 9,000 laborers spent eight years excavating the area by hand, occasionally utilizing horse-, oxen-, and mule-powered scrapers.

Hard at Work: Early 20th century barge canal surveyors/laborers - Photo from Erie Canal Museum

Building the Erie Canal was an unprecedented task during a time when most of the tools needed wouldn't be invented until decades later. This meant it was a time for innovation. In order to carve out the canal, the workers needed to cut through wilderness to connect the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. Outside of Rome, New York, ground was broken on July 4, 1817, to begin the 90-mile mid-section of the canal, where there were the fewest obstacles like swamps or rocky cliffs. The Canal Commissioners set a precedent by contracting the work to local landowners, who were responsible for hiring laborers to dig the canal as a "slant-sided prism of water, 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep, with towpaths on either side."

By 1820, the Canal Commission released a report saying that 75% of the laborers were born in America, but when the canal moved west toward the Montezuma swamps, the demographic changed eventually toward more Irish-immigrant workers. The upstate farmers were unwilling to work in a mosquito-plagued region, so contractors hired teams of Irish immigrants that had freshly arrived in New York Harbor. Thousands of Irish laborers fell sick and died in the swamps from malaria. As the Irish labor took over, anti-Irish and anti-Catholic sentiment grew, though they proved to be willing to do the most dangerous work, such as blasting rock with “unpredictable black powder.”

Excavation at Lockport. New York Public Library.

For eight years, workers felled trees in the wilderness and excavated by hand and sometimes with the help of animals. Rock was often blasted away with gunpowder, though sometimes they would use a drill bit. To dig the trench, men used picks and shovels. Young men were called "powder monkeys," as they climbed into cracks or rock fissures to light the gunpowder, chosen because of their ability to move fast and their small size.

Innovations

Image of early 1800's wheelbarrow

Brainard's Barrow

As the first major public works project in the country, it led to the invention of several innovative tools. Adapted from European designs, they developed a crank-driven tree feller that men, horses, or oxen would ratchet and crank until the tree was ripped from the ground, roots included. Nathan Roberts, a local math teacher who later became one of the most prominent engineers for the canal, designed a stump remover that allowed a team of oxen to pull 40 stumps a day versus the 4 previously available. The simplest and most lasting invention was Jeremiah Brainard's "Brainard barrow," which modified the box-shaped wheelbarrow of the time with a rounded basin, making it easier to dump out contents.

Final Challenge

Finally, the biggest challenge to overcome was the Niagara Escarpment: a "massive geological rock structure transformed by glaciers and erosion 400 million years ago." This 70-foot change in elevation required locks to be built%20that%20rises%20and%20falls.), though at the time, the average canal lock could only lift between 10 and 15 feet. Nathan Roberts devised the plan to build a staircase of five locks, each stacked on the other. The "flight" of locks required a massive channel through solid bedrock to reach Lake Erie. Raging fires were used to heat the rock, then cracked by dousing with cold water. Tower cranes removed the rubble, though dozens of workers died or were severely injured by exploding rock and debris. Finally, the locks were completed and the endeavor was so successful, it led to the growth of a nearby town now called Lockport.

Building a canal lock in the mid-1800's in Boonville. Photo from the Erie Canal Museum.

The Erie Canal Today

This year marks the bicentennial of the 363-mile canal that connected the East Coast to the middle of the nation, changing the East Coast via commerce and economic growth. Today, the Erie Canal is mostly traveled by recreational watercraft and is promoted as an ideal kayaking spot. The locks remain an impressive sight, only 30 minutes from Niagara Falls. Travelers can opt to have an "Erie Canal Adventure" navigating the waters, enjoying an uncrowded experience as they coast on their own self-skippered canal boats, and stay cool thanks to the tree-lined paths and lush landscapes. Small towns along the path offer restaurants close to the dock and canal-side patios. There are also designated swimming areas along the route! For a list of what to bring, what's included, and the best times to start your adventure, go here.

A lock on the Erie Canal

Whether you're wanting to bask in the modern marvel that was America's first major public works project, learn about and experience history from over 200 years ago, or just cool off as you float along the Erie Canal, remember that Interstate Signways made the signs that guided the way.