BLACK RIVER CANAL
- Program
- Location
- Lat/Long
- Grant Recipient
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Historic Transportation Canals
- 601 Main St, Boonville, NY 13309, USA
- 43.4799625, -75.326183
-
Dodge Pratt Northam Art & Community Center
BLACK RIVER CANAL
Inscription
BLACK RIVER CANALOPERATED 1850 - CA. 1923 AS
FEEDER FOR ERIE CANAL. LINKED
LYONS FALLS TO ROME ACROSS 35
MILES AND 109 LOCKS. OPENED
NORTHERN NY TO TRADE.
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2019
Remnants of the Black River Canal can be found in Boonville, NY. Construction began on the Erie Canal in 1817. It took nearly a decade to build, but once completed the Erie Canal was an amazing feat of modern engineering. Spanning 363 miles, this artificial waterway featured locks, bridges and aqueducts which traversed the diverse geography of New York State and effectively connected the East Coast to the Great Lakes. Soon thereafter additional sections began to branch off the main canal. One such section was the Black River Canal. Opening in 1850, the Black River Canal initially served as a feeder canal which supplied water from the Black River to the Erie Canal. This canal was 35 miles long, featured 109 locks, and connected Lyons Falls to Rome. The Black River Canal served as a vital conduit that opened northern New York State for trade. Despite the wealth and prosperity the Black River Canal brought to the region, it eventually fell into disuse and ceased operation around 1923.
