| December 3, 1815 |
The legendary meeting takes place at the city hotel in New York City topromote the Construction of an Erie Canal. The most famous product of this meeting isDeWitt Clinton’s Memorial to the New York StateLegislature. That memorial sparkssimilar petitions across thestate for the proposed canal. Curiously,there are differing opinions as to the exact date ofthe City Hotel meeting. Whitford citesDecember 3rd. Shaw statesthat it happened on the 30th. |
| May 17, 1816 |
The State’s CanalCommissioners are appointed with Clinton as president. |
| April 15, 1817 |
The Legislature passes the actto start construction of the Erie and Champlain Canals. |
| June 17, 1817 |
The first contract is signednear Rome for Construction of the Erie Canal. |
| July 1, 1817 |
Dewitt Clinton is sworn in asgovernor. |
| July 4, 1817 |
The ceremonial first digging ofthe Erie Canal takes place at Rome. |
| June 14, 1818 |
The first boats pass throughthe locks at Seneca Falls of the Seneca Lock Navigation Company, later to be taken over by NYS. |
| December 1818 |
Asection of the Erie Canal is watered for the first time ( Richardson’scontract). |
| April 7, 1819 |
An act to improve BuffaloHarbor passes the legislature. |
| April 13, 1819 |
The legislature authorizes asurvey for what becomes the Oswego Canal. |
| October 22, 1819 |
The Erie Canal between Rome andUtica is completed. |
| October 23, 1819 |
Festivities open the new Rometo Utica section. |
| November 24, 1819 |
The northern section (FortEdward to Whitehall) of the Champlain Canal is Watered. Soon after a ceremonial excursion of stateofficials and local citizens open the waterway. |
| July 4, 1820 |
Syracuse celebrates completionof the Erie Canal from Utica to the Seneca River. Navigation was actually possible in late 1819. |
| October 2, 1820 |
New York State purchases therights and property of the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company. |
| May 21, 1821 |
The first contract for Lockport Locks issigned. |
| November 1, 1821 |
The Erie Canal between Utica and LittleFalls is watered. |
| November 2, 1821 |
Celebrations occur for the completedsection of the Erie Canal from Utica toLittle Falls. The “Chief Engineer” from1819 festivities is piloted to Little Falls by arevolutionary war veteran who steered for George Washington. |
| November 18, 1821 |
The flight of locks at Little Falls arecompleted and navigation from Montezuma to Schenectadyis now possible. |
| July 2, 1822 |
The Erie Canal between the GeneseeAqueduct in Rochester and the Great Embankment is Watered. |
| July 30, 1822 |
The first boat crosses the Cayuga Marsheson the Erie Canal. |
| August 9, 1822 |
The citizenry of Buffalo ceremoniouslystart digging the Erie Canal from their village eastward. |
| October 15, 1822 |
The Great Irondequoit Embankment iscompleted. |
| October 15, 1822 |
The Little Falls Aqueduct is completedand dedicated, joining the Erie Canal to the 1790’sLittle Falls Canal of the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company. |
| November 11, 1822 |
The noted geologist, Amos Eaton, beginshis exploration of rock formations along theroute of the Erie Canal. |
| November 28, 1822 |
The laying of the last stone for theChamplain Canal occurs in Waterford. |
| August 1824 |
Water is let into the Erie Canal from Black Rock to Buffalo. |
| September 1824 |
The Erie Canal iscompleted to Lockport. |
| November 30, 1824 |
The first digging occurs for the WellandCanal. |
| April 20, 1825 |
The “Great Canal Law” passes thelegislature, promoting “Canal Fever” across NYS. |
| April 20, 1825 |
Completion of the Oswego Canal isauthorized by the legislature. |
| May 3, 1825 |
The Tonawanda section of the Erie Canalis opened. |
| June 2, 1825 |
Completion to Buffalo, all completeexcept Lockport, celebration on the 3, from Black Rock. |
| June 4, 1825 |
Lafayette tours the Erie Canal beginningwith a speech in Buffalo. On June 6,he is welcomed inLockport where he boards a canal boat for Rochester. |
| June 7, 1825 |
Rochester celebrates Lafayette’s arrivalon the Erie Canal. |
| June 24, 1825 |
The capstone is laid on the Lockportlocks in great Masonic fashion. |
| July 4, 1825 |
Groundbreaking for the Ohio and Erie Canaltakes place with the first shovel by DeWitt Clinton, initial surveysand designs for the Ohio Canal were done by the Erie Canal’s James Geddes. |
| July 13, 1825 |
First digging occurs for the Delaware andHudson Canal near Ellenville. |
| October 26, 1825 |
The citizens of Rome protest thecompletion of the Erie Canal with a ceremony bringinga “black barrel” of water from the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company’sRome canal to the new canal. |
| October 26, 1825 |
The “wedding of the waters” ceremonybegins in Buffalo with Governor DeWitt Clinton opening the complete Erie Canal. |
| October 27, 1825 |
The “wedding of the waters” flotillareaches Rochester. |
| October 29, 1825 |
At Weedsport David Remington and HenryWhitman are killed when their cannon for thecelebration accidentally discharged. |
| October 29, 1825 |
The “wedding of the waters” flotillareaches Syracuse. |
| November 2, 1825 |
The flotilla reaches Albany. |
| November 4, 1825 |
The flotilla arrives in New York City ingreat fashion and conducts the next part ofthe “wedding of the waters” a massive parade follows. |
| November 23, 1825 |
The Seneca Chief of the opening flotillareturns to Buffalo to complete the “weddingof the waters”. |
