Before It Became History | The Erie Canal: The Ditch That Built a National Economy

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute · Oct 30, 2026 · 17m

Critics mocked it as Clinton’s Ditch. In 1825, the 363-mile Erie Canal linked Lake Erie to the Hudson River, cut shipping costs by about 90 percent, made New York City a commercial capital, and helped forge America’s first national economy.

Before It Became History, a podcast series from the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, explores the people and moments that shaped the American story. Each episode looks beyond the legend to examine the decisions, conflicts, and ideas that tested the promise of liberty and helped define our democracy.

This is history before it hardened into memory — and a…