Amazing Impossible Erie Canal

A daring canal project defies skeptics, transforming travel from prairie to Europe.

3.9 Goodreads · 175 ratings

32 pages· 2,947 words· Est. 33 min read· AD1050L

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Bookroo's summary

De Witt Clinton, a determined young politician, dreams of a canal linking the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. Despite skepticism and the nickname "Clinton's Ditch," he perseveres. After eight arduous years, his vision becomes reality, creating the longest uninterrupted canal in history. This engineering marvel transforms travel, connecting the American prairie to Europe. Discover the triumph of America's first superhighway and the challenges overcome to achieve it. Will Clinton's ambitious project succeed against all odds? Embark on a journey through history and innovation.

From the publisher

Follow the amazing construction and workings of the Erie Canal, America’s first superhighway, in this triumphant nonfiction picture book. When De Witt Clinton, a young politician, first dreamed of building a canal to connect the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, folks didn’t believe such a thing could be done. Clinton wanted to link east coast ports to the frontier, and from the groundbreaking ceremony on the Fourth of July in 1817, Clinton never gave up–even as people called his project “Clinton’s Ditch.” Eight long years later, he’d realized his vision at last and constructed the longest uninterrupted canal in history–allowing water travel from the American prairie all the way to Europe!

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