ERIE CANAL

BARGES PULLED BY MULE TEAMS OR STEAMERBOATS

The main source of travel across New York was the Erie Canal. It was finished in 1825. The time was cut from 20 days to 8 days on the mule-drawn barges. Some of the fancy packets could make the trip in six days and nights at the speed of four miles an hour. The tandem hitched horses or mules walked along the side of the canal straining and sweating as they pulled the flat roofed boats.