 |
tells how the construction of this canal transformed one of the poorest states in the Union in the 1820s into the third most prosperous by 1840. The 308-mile canal helped open New York and New Orleans markets for central Ohio farmers and traders. Stores and taverns sprang up along the canal. People in the vast wilderness were able to get goods from eastern ports—cloth, glass, nails, salt, coffee, and tea. The state's population nearly quadrupled from 1820 to 1850. (National Park Service, Teaching with Historic Places)
 |
 |
Privacy 
