New York State

The building of the Erie Canal was the engineering marvel that unleashed the growth of the young nation that was the United States. Spearheaded by the vision of Gov. Dewitt Clinton, New York State built the waterway that opened the West to settlement and made New York City the center of finance and commerce. Opened in 1825, the canal proved so commercially viable that construction of an enlarged Erie Canal began just eleven years later. The success of the canal spawned the growth of cities, towns, businesses, and industries along its route in upstate New York.

The Erie Canal comes to life in this classic children's book, illustrated by award winning artist Peter Spier, to the words of the familiar folk song, "Low Bridge, Everybody down." Enjoy reading and singing this song with your children. Teachers use this book to introduce curriculum subjects and to tell stories about what is happening in the paintings of canal town life. Every child, library and school should have this book.