Erie Canal
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Erie Canal

geographical name

Definition of ERIE CANAL

canal 363 miles (584 kilometers) long N New York from Hudson River at Albany to Lake Erie at Buffalo; built 1817–25; superseded by New York State Barge Canal (ab 525 miles or 840 kilometers long)

Erie Canal

   (Concise Encyclopedia)

Historic waterway, northern U.S. It stretches from Buffalo, N.Y., on Lake Erie to Albany, N.Y., on the Hudson River. Commissioned by Gov. DeWitt Clinton of New York, it opened in 1825. It connected the Great Lakes with New York City and contributed greatly to the settlement of the Midwest, allowing for the transport of people and supplies. Enlarged several times, the canal is 363 mi (584 km) long, 150 ft (46 m) wide, and 12 ft (3.6 m) deep. Now used mainly for pleasure boating, it is part of the New York State Canal System.

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