Corridor of Commerce

Corridor of Commerce (Story #1)

Long before contact with Europeans, Native People traded among themselves for a variety of commodities. Items like furs, flint, corn and tobacco were exchanged over networks of trails and waterways including the Hudson River that flows in front of you. These water trails reached from the Atlantic seaboard into the Great Lakes region and beyond. The arrival of Europeans brought desirable trade goods such as iron tools, firearms, woven cloth and, unfortunately, alcohol. In exchange, the Europeans wanted furs, especially those of the American beaver. Native People whole-heartedly plunged into this new trade, resulting in disruptions of old routes, and changes in their diplomacy.

Along the shores of the Hudson, the Mahican people were the first beneficiaries of trade with the Dutch via Fort Orange, today's Albany. Their neighbors to the west, the Mohawks, forced out the Mahicans and established themselves as the main trade partner: the Mahicans fled east into what is now Connecticut. (Note: Say "All Benny" for Albany) For the Mohawks, direct trade helped them prosper but created friction with other groups of the Iroquois Confederacy who thought they should be able to trade directly without the Mohawks' interference. Even more seriously, the Iroquois raided against traditional foes, taking the furs those people had gathered. Warfare along the frontiers eventually exhausted the different Native People as they contended for hunting grounds and took revenge for the deaths suffered in conflicts.

The fur trade forever changed the way of life for the Native People, making them dependent upon European trade goods. Because of the demands of this trade, once plentiful animals, such as beaver would all but disappear.

Corridor of Commerce (Story #2)

If you were a traveler through this valley, like Congressman Charles Carroll in 1776, the quickest and easiest part of your journey would be on the water. Unfortunately, even the most navigable waterways had limitations and sometimes obstacles, like shallows, rapids and even waterfalls. When the water was no longer navigable, then travelers had to follow roadways and paths. Roads in the 18th century were unpaved and ungraded, filled with pothole, ruts, axle-breaking rocks and even tree stumps. Wagons lacked springs or any sort of shock absorption, making a ride a jarring, uncomfortable experience. The roads Charles Carroll encountered between Albany and Saratoga were muddy from the spring thaw and “worse than ever” from the many supply wagons passing through toward Canada.

As Carroll’s wagon labored through the mud and ruts, sitting next to him was a man who had found a solution to the deficiencies of the local waterways: Philip Schuyler. Several years earlier Schuyler had visited England where they were improving transportation by constructing “water carriages” or canals. From his many business and economic ventures in the region Schuyler was familiar with the advantages and limitations of the rivers and lakes of the region. Schuyler recognized that the best solution would be the construction of canals and locks to connect various waterways. Schuyler recognized the opportunity to share his vision with Carroll. Following their meeting, Carroll’s diary of the trip is filled with notes about creating a canal system through the areas he traveled.

Years after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the Northern and Western Lock and Navigation Companies were established. Their creation owed a great deal to Philip Schuyler’s foresight and energy.

Corridor of Commerce (Story #3)

It is sometimes difficult to believe that the peaceful Hudson River before you now is the same one that flows past the bustle of New York City almost two hundred miles to the south. The Hudson River from Albany to New York City had always been busy with river traffic: sailing ships eventually gave way to early steam ships that speeded up transportation through the valley. Transportation through the shallower "Upper Hudson" had always been more limited. Many travelers, from the original native inhabitants through the various European people and Americans, knew the back-breaking work of portaging. Not only did portaging cause delays, it also limited the amounts of cargo that could be carried. Philip Schuyler's early attempts at canals in the 1790's were not successful; however, in the early 19th century canal technology and building improved. Although overshadowed by the more famous Erie Canal, the Champlain Canal was inaugurated in 1823 forging a link between the Hudson River Valley and Lake Champlain and Canada.

By modern standards, travel by canal was still quite slow; often the average speed was 3 miles per hour. However, canal locks eliminated the delays and labor of portages around obstacles. The pace may have been slow, but it was steady and allowed great quantities of cargo to be moved. Distant markets opened to the region. Albany, New York, and Montreal were now in a network of trade that encouraged farmers and entrepreneurs to expand their operations. Old Saratoga which was renamed Schuylerville in the 1830's became something of an international port thanks to the canal system.

Traveling became easier, and hostelries, shops and taverns sprouted up along the path of the canals. Canals also proved to be "highways of information", long before the internet. They infused our young Nation with different languages, customs, and religions. News and ideas were carried along by travelers, stimulating people's thinking on many subjects, including such profound notions as the abolition of slavery and equal rights for women.

Corridor of Commerce (Story #4)

Transportation through this region has seen enormous change. Dugout canoes and bateaux gave way to canal boats; first drawn by mules and horses, later propelled by tugs. Railways provided a great deal of competition to the canals through the 19th Century. Some thought the days of canals were nearing an end. However, in 1905, at the height of the railroad industry's influence, New York's voters approved a referendum to improve the canal system. This re-built Barge Canal remains in service today as the oldest continuously-operating canal in our Nation. Well into the 20th Century, here on the Champlain Canal a variety of products continued to be shipped through the region: agricultural produce for urban markets and jet fuel for the United States Air Force base in Plattsburg, NY among them.

By the 1970's commercial traffic on the canal all but ceased. Some attributed the decline to the Interstate Highway System's expansion and success. More realistically, the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1954 allowed ocean-going vessels direct access to the Great Lakes ports. The Seaway threatened to make hundreds of miles of canals in New York State obsolete.

Although commercial traffic declined, canals provided a route for pleasure craft, a strong trend that has continued to the present day. Miles of Canalway Trail stretch across the State with more being built each year. Boaters and cyclists now explore the waterways where once Native People hunted and fished, where European people explored and fought to create empires in the wilderness and a new nation had its first real military triumph, a place where everyday people carved out a living on farms and in factories.

Today, new shops have sprung up in small waterfront communities to meet the needs of these boaters and cyclists. Congestion on traditional, land-based transportation routes and increased fuel costs have manufacturers, growers, shippers and freight-forwarders looking back to water transportation as a green, efficient, and cost-effective means of moving cargo and produce. In 2012, tonnage on the N.Y.S. Canal surpassed 40,000 tons for the first time in over 15 years, with continued growth predicted for the near future.