ZOOM-Two Hundred Years on the Erie Canal

This program will also be streamed to our Kingsley Room. Register here if you want to watch it at the library.

Built between 1817 and 1825, the original Erie Canal traversed 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo. It was the longest artificial waterway and the greatest public works project in North America.  The canal put New York on the map as the Empire State—the leader in population, industry, and economic strength. It transformed New York City into the nation's principal seaport and opened the interior of North America to settlement. Equally important, the Erie Canal became a central element forging our national identity. Built with a combination of vision, determination, ingenuity, and hard work, the Erie Canal solidified these central elements of our American character. Today the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor is open to boating, biking, and hiking.

Led by Dr. Bill Thierfelder, a retired college professor who taught a variety of Arts and Humanities courses for 32 years at several New York universities and colleges, including St. John's University and Dowling College. He holds a Ph.D. in English, with minors in theater, art history and music history.

Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. Registration is required. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Library. For more information about this program, please email Rebecca at rrandall@biblio.org or call the reference desk at 203-262-0626 ext 2.