Many Voices: Building Erie, the Canal That Changed America

This nonfiction book follows the Erie Canal from its early conception through construction, opening, impact, and continuing evolution. Before cars and railroads spread, many considered such an inland waterway impossible; the canal nevertheless opened in 1825 after eight years of work. The account examines its engineering and its effects on the course of United States history, including consequences beyond the canal’s shores. Archival maps, images, and photographs, along with sourcing and back matter, document the canal’s past and present.