Episode 247: BFW Road Trip: New York, Schoharie Crossing

by Emily SneffJuly 16, 2019

Play episode

A “little short of madness.” That is how Thomas Jefferson responded when two delegates from New York approached him with the idea to build the Erie Canal in January 1809.

Jefferson’s comment did not discourage New Yorkers. On January 4, 1817, New York State began building a 363-mile long canal to link the Hudson River and Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes and the Midwest.

Janice Fontanella, site manager of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, New York, joins us to discuss the Erie Canal, its construction, and the impact that this waterway made on New York and the United States.

This episode originally posted as Episode 028.

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

Janice Fontanella, site manager of the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, New York, leads us on an exploration of the Erie Canal.

During our conversation, Janice reveals why New York State built a 363-mile long canal between the Hudson River and Lake Erie; How laborers built the Erie Canal and the technological innovations that developed during its construction; And, how the Erie Canal impacted the economy, demography, and geography of both New York State and the United States

What You’ll Discover

The location of Fort Hunter, New York
Details about Janice’s job as Site Manager for Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
What you will find when you visit Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
Why Schoharie Crossing is the best place to view the history of the Erie Canal
How Fort Hunter has been able to preserve its 19th-century buildings and Erie Canal history
Why New York State wanted to build a 363-mile long canal between the Hudson River and Lake Erie
How laborers built the Erie Canal
Technological innovations brought about by the construction of the Erie Canal
What proved the be the trickiest part of building the Erie Canal
How the locks and aqueducts along the Erie Canal worked
How the New York State Canal Commissioners determined which towns would receive the eastern terminus of the canal and the western terminus of the canal
Why the geography of New York allowed for the construction of a long canal
What the opening of the Erie Canal meant for the people of New York State and the settlers of the Old Northwest Territory
Why the Erie Canal became known as “Mother of Cities”
Details about canal boats and their accommodations
What it was like for passengers to travel along the canal
How the Erie Canal coped with the introduction of the railroad into New York State
Why the Erie Canal has so many low bridges
Information about DeWitt Clinton and his role in the construction of the Erie Canal
Why Thomas Jefferson thought that building the Erie Canal was an idea “just short of madness”
Overview of the Bonus Bill of 1817
Details about special events and activities held at the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site

Links to People, Places, and Publications

Sponsor Links

Complementary Episodes

Time Warp Question

In your opinion what might have happened if President James Madison had not vetoed the Bonus Bill of 1817? Do you think that New York would have still built the Erie Canal along the same route and would the substantial investment in nationwide internal improvements have affected the success of the Erie Canal?