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At-a-Glance

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What is the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor?

The U.S. Congress recognized the Erie Canal's significance to our nation by establishing the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in 2000. The Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of the upstate New York. It includes the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain Canals and their historic alignments. The Corridor encompasses 4,834 square miles in 23 counties and is home to 3.2 million people.

Upstate New York's largest population centers - Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and the state capital Albany - all grew up along the canal and are within the Canalway Corridor today.

THE CORRIDOR ENCOMPASSES:

234

234 Municipalities

From Buffalo in the west to Albany in the East.

4,834

4,834 Square miles

eight regional planning board areas, and six New York State tourism regions

23

23 Part of 23 counties

eight regional planning board areas, and six New York State tourism regions

524

524 Continuous miles

of navigable waterway

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History

New York's canals established a transportation network which made New York the “Empire State'' and the Nation's premier commercial and financial center. New York's canal system has been in continuous operation since 1825, longer than any other constructed transportation system in North America.

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Culture

The Erie Canalway proved the depth and force of American ingenuity, solidified a national identity, and found an enduring place in American legend, song, and art.

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People

The canal opened the interior of the continent to settlement. Population along the canal route in Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo quadrupled from 1830 to 1850; Today, 80 percent of upstate New York residents live within 25 miles of the canal.


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Nature

The Corridor's waterways include approximately 40 percent of New York State's freshwater resources and drain nearly half of the state's total area. Its rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and rich woodlands are home to an impressive variety of fish, birds, and forest animals, including a number of threatened and endangered species.