Building Erie, the Canal That Changed America
Book Description
“The Nation’s First Superhighway” existed before the spread of cars … or even railroads! This immersive photo book ferries readers through the past and present of the Erie Canal, from impossible idea to groundbreaking reality.
In the twenty-first century, it’s hard to imagine a canal as cutting-edge technology. Yet even to the most scientifically-minded, the Erie Canal once seemed an unachievable dream. Thomas Jefferson himself called it “nothing short of madness;” one critic felt sure it was impossible as “building a canal to the moon.” Yet with eight years and nearly $185 million dollars in today’s currency, the Erie Canal opened in 1825 to celebratory cannon fire: an innovating — and enduring — marvel of engineering.
But as the Canal shaped the flow of American history, the sociopolitical impact reached much further than its shores. A largely untold tale of creativity and cowardice, sacrifice and greed, heroism and prejudice, the Erie Canal’s story is as complex and compelling as that of America itself.
Author Laurie Lawlor captures the landmark achievements of the Erie Canal while diving deep into corporate greed, environmental devastation, poor working conditions, and its impact on the Haudenosaunee people. Pairing rich back matter (including maps, source notes, an index, bibliography, glossary, and timeline) with attention grabbing photographs, accomplished STEAM storyteller Laurie Lawlor connects the Erie Canal’s past and present to plumb the depths of unexplored American history.
a few pages from the book
Resources
“Many Voices: Building the Erie Canal,” editorial staff, New York Almanack, 5 May 2025
Reviews and Comments
“A social history for young people that seeks to explain the complex interplay of political, technological, cultural, and economic forces that culminated in the creation of the Erie Canal. The canal connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes opened in 1825 after almost a decade of construction and a cost of $7,000,000 ($185 million in today’s terms). Lawlor situates the canal in the geopolitical and social factors that contributed to its development, reveals the extraordinary costs in human, natural, and technological resources that made the 363 mile-long waterway a reality, and illustrates the far-ranging repercussions that the canal has had on individual lives and on American society over the last 200 years. Her narrative stays true to the goal encapsulated in the title, that of centering the voices of the many Indigenous, enslaved, and immigrant peoples who experienced profound loss and change from this marvel of engineering and economic progress. The final chapters give some consideration to the ecological implications of the canal and the industrialization that sprang up in the wake of its creation. An extensive bibliography for further reading rounds out the narrative, as well as source notes, a glossary, a time line, and an index. VERDICT This story of one of the most pivotal engineering accomplishments in U.S. history, told from diverse perspectives, is highly recommended for middle and high school collections. (Kelly Kingrey-Edwards, School Library Journal, starred review)
written by Laurie Lawlor
Holiday House, 19 August 2025