Erie Canal Essay

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dropped by a third. Because the trip encompassed low elevation areas through mountainous regions, the Erie Canal route via the Hudson River was easier and quicker to navigate than canal systems in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. With its system of connecting waterways (Erie and Champlain canals), New York became a top state with a booming population, busy ports and populous cities as well as a center for finance and commerce. New York City grew as a major seaport, usurping Philadelphia as the main seaport in the United States and immigrants entering the United States through New York often found jobs around the canal area. In addition, real estate in New York increased in value, and the number of people who pursued commercial real estate …show more content…

Western New York was furnished by the Niagara River. Things were not as easy for Eastern New York, where eventually storage reservoirs were built along the Mohawk River. The importance of the Canal System was realized when it was shown that about 70% of the state’s population lived within two miles of the waterways.
Today parts of the Canal, such as that in Schenectady, Syracuse, or Albany have been replaced by roads bearing the name of Erie Boulevard, or Canal Street, remnants of the old canal route. Although commercial traffic on the Eric Canal and other state canal systems decreased with the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway in 1959, the canal service in New York is still open today. Used mostly for recreation, many of the canal ways have trails which run alongside them where people can hike and bike. There are waterfront parks, picnic areas, historical sites, museums and historic cruises on the Erie Canal.
The Canal systems were supported by tolls collected on the New York State thruway, although this practice is somewhat controversial. With the advent of train travel, the tolls were dropped to keep the canal competitive. Fees are now charged for recreational use and permits for motorized vehicles. The New York State Canal System is maintained by the New York State Canal Corporation which is a subsidiary of the Thruway

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