PLAYING OFF HISTORY

During construction, the Erie Canal was viewed as being costly and controversial, transforming both the economic and natural landscape of its time and place. It cut a 300-mile swath of waterways, locks, and tow paths through upstate New York and laid the foundation for an economic landscape that is distinctive today. A number of towns and cities sprang up from Albany to Buffalo, but as the canal route fell outside the economic mainstream, these communities experienced profound change. This article discusses efforts by the New York State government to revitalize these communities by committing hundreds of millions of dollars to projects designed to encourage recreation and tourism along the Erie Canal route.