New York State Erie Canal
The Cayuga-Seneca Canal connects the Erie Canal to Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake. An engineering wonder, the Erie Canal, first completed in 1825, connects the Hudson River to Lake Erie and is one of the most important projects in the development and of New York State, allowing raw materials from the west to be transported cheaply to the populated eastern seaboard. From Geneva and Seneca Lake, you can literally cruise the world via the canal to the Hudson River through New York City and out to the Atlantic Ocean. Other popular towns on the canal include nearby Fairport, Macedon, Seneca Falls, and Pittsford.
The popular song “Low Bridge, Everybody Down” memorializes the years from 1825-1880 when the mule barges made boom towns of Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo and transformed New York into the Empire State.
Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge cause we're coming to a town
And you'll always know your neighbor
And you'll always know your pal
If you've ever navigated on the Erie Canal
Today, the Cayuga-Seneca Canal provides the perfect link by boat or car to New York’s premier wine region, wildlife areas, historic sites, and charming communities.