Erie Canal: Difference between revisions

[[File:Erie Canal, Lock 32.jpg|thumb|Erie Canal|alt=|350x350px]]

[http://www.eriecanal.org The Erie Canal] allowed boats from [[New York, United States Genealogy|New York]] City on the Hudson River to reach rural upstate [[New York, United States Genealogy|New York]] and Lake Erie. Eventually the Great Lakes were also connected to the Ohio River and Mississippi River systems by other canals. As canals developed in America settlers were attracted to nearby communities because the canals provided access to markets. They could sell their products at distant markets, and buy products made far away. If an ancestor settled near a canal, you may be able to trace back to a place of origin on a connecting waterway.

===='''''Historical Background'''''====

The construction of the Erie Canal began in '''''1817''''' and in 1819 the first 15-mile (24 km) section, Rome to Utica opened. As more Irish laborers arrived the pace of construction picked up and overcame significant barriers. For example, during summer construction in a marsh, 1,000 workers died of swamp fever, so survivors were moved to another part of the canal until winter when it was safer to work in the frozen marsh. Sections of the canal opened as follows:  

*1819 Rome to Utica

*1820 Utica to Syracuse

*1823 Brockport to Albany ([[Champlain_Canal]] connecting the Hudson River to Lake Champlain was completed at the same time)

*1824 Lockport locks

*1825 Onondago Ridge finishing the entire canal.

The Erie Canal in [[New York, United States Genealogy|New York]] allowed boats from [[New York City, New York|New York City]] on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River Hudson River] to reach rural upstate [[New York Genealogy|New York]] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Erie Lake Erie]. Eventually the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes Great Lakes] were also connected to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_River Ohio River] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River Mississippi River] systems by other canals. As canals developed in America settlers were attracted to nearby communities because the canals provided access to markets. They could sell their products at distant markets, and buy products made far away. If an ancestor settled near a canal, you may be able to trace back to a place of origin on a connecting waterway.  

==Canal Route==

The Erie Canal connects the Hudson River (and New York City) with Lake Erie. It follows the Mohawk River Valley west from Albany, New York to reach toward Buffalo, New York.  

Home of the '''''communities''''' on the Erie Canal from east to west include:  

 

:*Albany

:*Troy

:*Schenectady

:*Fonda

:*Herkimer

:*Utica

:*Rome

:*Syracuse

:*Lyons

:*Palmyra

:*Rochester

:*Albion

:*Lockport

 

:*[[Rensselaer County, New York Genealogy|Rensselaer]]

:*[[Albany County, New York Genealogy|Albany]]

:*[[Schenectady County, New York Genealogy|Schenectady]]

:*[[Montgomery County, New York Genealogy|Montgomery]]

:*[[Herkimer County, New York Genealogy|Herkimer]]

:*[[Oneida County, New York Genealogy|Oneida]]

:*[[Madison County, New York Genealogy|Madison]]

:*[[Onondaga County, New York Genealogy|Onondaga]]

:*[[Cayuga County, New York Genealogy|Cayuga]]

:*[[Seneca County, New York Genealogy|Seneca]]

:*[[Wayne County, New York Genealogy|Wayne]]

:*[[Ontario County, New York Genealogy|Ontario]]

:*[[Monroe County, New York Genealogy|Monroe]]

:*[[Orleans County, New York Genealogy|Orleans]]

==Settlers and Records==

Because so many immigrants traveled on the canal, many genealogists would like to find copies of canal passenger lists. Unfortunately, apart from the years 1827-1829, canal boat operators were not required to record or report passenger names to the New York State government. Those 1827-1829 passenger lists survive today in the New York State Archives.<ref name=":0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal Erie Canal] in ''Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 15 April 2011).</ref>  

==Internet Links<ref name=":0" />==

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal Erie Canal] in Wikipedia

*[http://www.eriecanal.org/index.html The Erie Canal by ErieCanal.org] General history but more focused on the western portion from Palmyra to Buffalo

*[http://www.history.rochester.edu/canal/ History of the Erie Canal] University of Rochester student documentation of its history

*[http://www.lcmm.org/images/img_our_fleet/img_lois_mcclure/ERCA_web_test_map3.pdf Map of the Erie Canal] Modern National Historic Parks style map

==Sources==

{{US Migration Canals}}  

<br>{{New York|New York}} {{Ohio|Ohio}} {{Vermont2|Vermont}}

[[Category:United_States_Migration_Internal]]  

[[Category:US Migration Canals|US Migration Canals]]  

[[Category:Migration_Routes]]  

[[Category:New York Migration Routes]]  

[[Category:Ohio Migration Routes]]  

[[Category:Vermont Migration Routes]]