| a canal in New York between Albany and Buffalo, connecting the Hudson River with Lake Erie: completed in 1825. Compare New York State Barge Canal (def. 2). |
| Erie Canal An artificial waterway extending about 579 km (360 mi) across central New York from Albany to Buffalo. Constructed from 1817 to 1825 and enlarged numerous times after 1835, it is now part of the New York State Barge Canal. |
An artificial waterway built across New York state in the early nineteenth century, linking Lake Erie and the Hudson River. The canal opened trade between New York and the midwestern states and aided in the growth of New York City as a port.