Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The Erie Canal was built by laborers and engineers that had little to no experience in building canals. They learned by traveling to England, reading books or learning on the job. But, did you know that the canal also offered a means for the founders of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to meet? Their names were Stephen Van Rensselaer and Amos Eaton. Many RPI graduates later worked on expansions of the canal.
Fun Fact: Garnet Douglas Baltimore was the first African American graduate of RPI and worked on the Erie Canal. He supervised the extension of the “mud lock” on the Oswego Canal, acting as assistant engineer and surveyor, and leading a preliminary survey party for the 56-mile Granville & Rutland Railroad.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:17 Stephen Van Rensselaer
1:46 Amos Eaton
2:20 Canal construction
3:17 Idea for RPI
3:56 Enlarged Erie Canal
4:22 Barge Canal
4:54 Today's Canals
Image Credits:
Harvard Library
Institute Archive and Special Collections at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
Library of Congress
New York Public Library
New York State Archive
New York State Museum, Albany, New York
New York State Library, Manuscripts and Special Collections
Want more info on this topic? Check out the resources below.
DeWitt Clinton and Amos Eaton: Geology and Power in Early New York by David I. Spanagel
Institute Archives at RPI (https://archives.rpi.edu/)
Learn more about Reflections on the Erie Canal at wmht.org/ErieCanal
#ErieCanal200
The Erie Canal was built by laborers and engineers that had little to no experience in building canals. They learned by traveling to England, reading books or learning on the job. But, did you know that the canal also offered a means for the founders of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to meet? Their names were Stephen Van Rensselaer and Amos Eaton. Many RPI graduates later worked on expansions of the canal.
Fun Fact: Garnet Douglas Baltimore was the first African American graduate of RPI and worked on the Erie Canal. He supervised the extension of the “mud lock” on the Oswego Canal, acting as assistant engineer and surveyor, and leading a preliminary survey party for the 56-mile Granville & Rutland Railroad.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:17 Stephen Van Rensselaer
1:46 Amos Eaton
2:20 Canal construction
3:17 Idea for RPI
3:56 Enlarged Erie Canal
4:22 Barge Canal
4:54 Today's Canals
Image Credits:
Harvard Library
Institute Archive and Special Collections at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
Library of Congress
New York Public Library
New York State Archive
New York State Museum, Albany, New York
New York State Library, Manuscripts and Special Collections
Want more info on this topic? Check out the resources below.
DeWitt Clinton and Amos Eaton: Geology and Power in Early New York by David I. Spanagel
Institute Archives at RPI (https://archives.rpi.edu/)
Learn more about Reflections on the Erie Canal at wmht.org/ErieCanal
#ErieCanal200
