On October 26, 1825, the Erie Canal was officially opened in New York State. The 351-mile canal linked the Hudson River with Lake Erie, connecting Atlantic ports with the Great Lakes region. It greatly reduced the cost and time of shipping goods between the Midwest and the East Coast. The canal helped turn New York City into the leading port of the United States. It also encouraged settlement and development in western New York and beyond. The success of the Erie Canal inspired other canal and infrastructure projects across the country.
