E. and E. Hosford Printers, Map and Profile of the Erie Canal (1825)

This map of the Erie Canal was included in the 1825 book, Laws of the State of New York In Relations to the Erie and Champlain Canals, which contains detailed information on the legal framework for these important transportation systems, as well as maps detailing the canals and the lands through which they passed. The Erie Canal was a 363 mile waterway built between 1817 and 1825 that contributed greatly to the United States economy. The canal was a feat of engineering that connected the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River. It provided a direct water route from New York City to the Midwest, contributing to the development and growth of population in western New York, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. The Erie Canal also helped establish New York City as an economic powerhouse, boosted the U.S. economy by lowering the cost of transporting goods and cutting delivery times in half, and made it easier for people to travel long distances.