Erie Canal: Tidbits - Ep. 163: President T. Roosevelt

 As Governor of New York (1899–1900), Theodore Roosevelt was instrumental in modernizing the Erie Canal by initiating the Barge Canal project. He appointed a special committee in 1899 to study canal improvements, which led to the 1903 authorization of the $155 million "Barge Canal" expansion, transforming the historic route into a deeper, wider, and more efficient waterway. 

Because of mismanagement during previous, smaller improvements, Governor Roosevelt appointed a panel of experts to study the canal's future, which recommended abandoning the old, narrow towpath system for a massive, modern canal that utilized natural rivers and lakes.

While Teddy was Governor for only two years, he provided crucial political momentum for the project, which ultimately secured the legacy of New York's commercial superiority and the resulting Erie Barge Canal System, completed in 1918, was a direct result of his administration's efforts.

Roosevelt’s work on the Erie Canal preceded his famous push for the Panama Canal (connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific), highlighting his lifelong advocacy for strategic, improved maritime infrastructure. Perhaps another lasting impact of his role as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1898 under President William McKinley.  It was there that he aggressively promoted naval expansion and modernized the fleet.

  

Images: 

1 – President Theodore Roosevelt, image from the National Park Service | Theodore Roosevelt National Park 

2 – “The Governor Roosevelt was built by the Buffalo Marine Engineering Company in 1928 and is still working on the Erie these days." *image contributed by Cori Wilson from Rob Keane on Historic Erie Canal Facebook Group.