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| The Mohawk Valley is beautiful and reminds us of the Upper Mississippi, only without towboats, current or wing dams... |
It seems that every hamlet, village, town and city along the Erie Canal has a historical house that claims "Washington slept here." There are so many in fact that one starts to wonder if George had time to do anything else. The fact is, he didn't lead from the rear. His forays into the hinterland gave him first-hand knowledge of the terrain. Bernstein points out, in Wedding of the Waters, that Washington's strategic vision went well beyond war with the British. Washington foresaw a time when Americans, divided by the impenetrable Appalachians could split into two nations. The remedy he said was to bind the union with commerce and facilitating transportation was the key. Washington didn't live to see the Erie Canal built but he was one of the visionaries who argued for and saw its great potential.
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The Erie Canal, from Buffalo to Albany, is possible because the Mohawk Valley is a lowland route through the Appalachian Mountains. (Wikipedia image)
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| The dam at Lock 11 across a very wide Mohawk River lowers us 12'. |
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| 40 Miles Canajoharie, NY to Scotia, NY |
Safely tied to the dock in a very lovely park in Scotia, NY. DBH
