The Erie Canal in Amsterdam

The Erie Canal in Amsterdam. . , Amsterdam grew on the north bank of the Mohawk River. Chuctanunda Creek provided abundant water power for manufacturing., Amsterdam became the "Carpet City," with the massive Sanford and Shuttleworth mills turning out thousands of yards of floor coverings every day. Other factories produced brooms, paint, pearl buttons, and knitted underwear., The Erie Canal ran along the south side of the river through the hamlet of Port Jackson. The canal, and later railroads, carried wool, jute, and other raw materials to and finished products from Amsterdam's manufacturers., [ Postcard Caption, left to right: ] , -Port Jackson, on the south side of the river, was Amsterdam's gateway to the Erie Canal, Great Lakes, and Atlantic Ocean from the 1820s to 1915., - A gasworks converted coal into illuminating gas that lit Amsterdam's factories and homes in the days before electricity., - The Erie Canal and Mohawk River have long been both arteries of commerce and places for recreation., - Amsterdam carpet mills turned out massive amounts of plain and fancy floor coverings. The Sanford Mills were up on the hill, straddling Chuctanunda Creek. The Shuttleworth Mills were down on the riverbank in the east end., [ Side 2 ] , Erie Canal. The Erie Canal is North America's most successful and enduring man-made waterway. Opened in 1825, it connected the Atlantic Ocean to the upper Great Lakes. The canal runs more than 350 miles east-west between the Hudson River near Albany and Lake Erie at Buffalo. Along the way, locks raise and lower the boats more than 570 feet., The canal open the interior of North American and transformed New York into the Empire State. Settlers and immigrants pressed westward on the Erie Canal, giving rise to cities and new industries in New York and the Midwest. Products of farms and factories moved east to markets along the Atlantic., Enlarged over the years to accommodate larger boats, the Erie Canal still operates as an active and historic waterway for all to enjoy., The Canal System , You can travel the Erie Canal by boat, bike, or on foot across New York State. The Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain Canals branch off to form a network of inland waterways connecting the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, Lake Champlain, and Canadian waters., [ Insets: ] , Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor , Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our extraordinary canal heritage, promotes tourism and recreation, and fosters vibrant communities connected by New York's canal system. , New York State Canal Corporation , The New York State Canal Corporation operates all four branches of canal system. It manages 524 miles of waterways, 57 lift locks, scores of historic structures, and a cross-state trail along the Erie Canal