Erie Canal Tidbits - Ep. 364 - FDR
As Gov. of NY (1929–1933), Franklin D. Roosevelt championed the Erie Canal (Barge Canal) as a vital economic asset, famously touring it by boat in June of 1930 to promote its viability, viewing the canal as essential for the state's commerce. He aimed to modernize it, using it to highlight infrastructure, transportation, and industrial progress. He took a highly publicized, week-long trip aboard the state yacht Inspector to inspect locks and canal infrastructure, including stops in Little Falls, Sylvan Beach, and the Buffalo area that demonstrated a renewed interest by the state in canal infrastructure. Amidst competition from railroads, FDR used his tour to showcase the canal as a "living" and essential transport route for the state, rather than a relic of the past. His administration recognized the need to maintain and modernize the Barge Canal system, which had replaced the original 19th-century Erie Canal. FDR’s interest in the canal was part of a broader, life-long...
