Who owns the Erie Canal?
New York State Canal Corporation
Who oversaw the construction of the Erie Canal?
DeWitt Clinton
What immigrant group helped build the Erie Canal?
It took canal laborers—some Irish immigrants, but most U.S.-born men—eight years to finish the project. They cleared the land by hand and animal power and blasted through rock with gunpowder. (Dynamite wasn’t invented until the 1860s by Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel.)
Do ships still use the Erie Canal?
Nearly 200 years old and still going strong. New York’s canal system has been in continuous operation since 1825, longer than any other constructed transportation system on the North American continent. Over the years, it has been enlarged three times to accommodate larger boats and more traffic.
How long does it take to dig the Erie Canal?
The canal was completed in only 8 years at a cost of $7,000,000. When completed on October 26, 1825, DeWitt Clinton (by then Governor of New York) boarded a vessel, the Seneca Chief, in Buffalo and headed to New York City.
How much profit did the Erie Canal make?
In 1849, the Erie Canal shipped 1,580,000 tons of goods in forest, agricultural, and manufacturing products, as well as merchandise and a combination of other products. The value of these goods was equal to more than $52 million (Volpe, n.d.).
How much did the Erie Canal cost in today’s money?
For example, the Erie Canal was completed in 1807 at a cost of $7,000,000. How much is that in today’s money? We might use consumer prices to get a figure of $98.7 million.
How much money would it cost to dig the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal cost $7 million dollars to build but reduced shipping costs significantly. Before the canal, the cost to ship one ton of goods from Buffalo to New York City cost $100. After the canal, the same ton could be shipped for a mere $10.
What is the first lock of the Erie Canal?
The original “Clinton’s Ditch” Erie Canal had 83 locks. The Enlarged Erie Canal, built between 1835 and 1862, saw this number reduced to 72 locks. Today, there are 35 numbered locks — although Lock No. 1 is usually called the Federal Lock — plus the Federal Black Rock Lock.
How did locks work on the Erie Canal?
Erie Canal locks consist of two sets of Miter-V gates to form the chamber and contain the water , underground tunnels for the water to flow in or out and tunnel valves (they resemble guillotines) to open or shut the water flow through the tunnels. The lock chamber and floor is made of concrete.
What is a lock in a canal?
Lock, enclosure or basin located in the course of a canal or a river (or in the vicinity of a dock) with gates at each end, within which the water level may be varied to raise or lower boats.