Chenango Canal: The Million Dollar Ditch

by Wade Allen Lallier

Overview

Chenango Canal: The Million Dollar Ditch chronicles the story of a central New York State canal and how it changed the region. In 1825, the Omnibus Canal Bill had called for a survey of a canal linking the Susquehanna River at Binghamton to the Erie Canal in Utica. The idea of a canal was well received in the Chenango Valley but was opposed by many outside it. After eight years of legislative battles, the canal was finally authorized in 1833 with a proposed million-dollar budget. Against seeming insurmountable odds, the 97-mile canal was completed in 1836. Touted as the best built canal in New York State, the canal was never profitable for the state, but it did bring a measure of prosperity to the communities along its length, delivering cheap coal from Pennsylvania to emerging steam-powered factories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467124812
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	06/26/2017
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Wade Allen Lallier, a resident of Deansboro, holds a bachelor's degree in social studies from Syracuse University. He is a member of the Chenango Canal Association, which is dedicated to preserving the Chenango Canal and its history. For Chenango Canal: The Million Dollar Ditch, he selected photographs from private collections, library special collections, and local and county historical societies.