Little Ditch The Black River Canal (2007) Full Documentary - Built after the Erie Canal, NY history
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- Fire, flood, politics and corruption: the trials and elation of the engineering marvel that let boats sail over a mountain and move the raw materials that helped build the Empire State. Using historical photos, interviews with historians, and footage of the locations today, the documentary tells the entire history of The Black River Canal. It was the life of the valley.
Following the construction of the Erie Canal, known as Clinton's Ditch, The Black River Canal was built, nicknamed the Little Ditch. NY State history. Rome, Boonville, Forestport, Lowville, Carthage, and Watertown. Historical documentary, includes the story of Delta Dam. Features the Boonville Black River Canal Museum.
When I was a boy my favorite summertime activity was swimming behind the Hawkinsville Dam, a few miles outside Boonville. We had a place on Moose River Road and I would wander in the woods, collecting remnants of the old logging industry. I had quite a collection of rusty wagon parts. My older brother had a summer job as a teenager clearing the locks on a section of the Canal, and I just sent him the link to this video. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it, as I did! Now I need to go read the book on the Forestport Breaks. Thank you!
Very fascinating comment here. Thanks for adding in to this amazing doc
Thank you for sharing your story! Great to hear you enjoyed the film!
@@slwtgf Thank you!
Hi Dave. I just happened upon this documentary. I was extremely pleased to see the excellent job that you did with this topic. I'm glad that you were as objective as you were. Without bringing in a lot of provincial prejudices. Absolutely excellent!
In the mid 80’s my brother and I were able to take a paddle boat from forestport to boonville on the black river canal. It was one of the highlights of my childhood.
What a beautiful and well made documentary!! Very well thought out and classy in and out. A must!!
What a fabulous documentary....NY State .. amazing history thx
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for a simply wonderful documentary
Fascinating history of the Black River Canal. I have travelled through this area many times and was unaware of this history. Now I have an appreciation of the accomplishments of those times and am thankful for the efforts put forth to immortalize that history.
Thank you for the awesome feedback!
The canal was a big deal for Boonville and north, but my experience with it was in Rome, living on Wright Settlement Rd near Ridge Mills. We played under the bridge over both the Mohawk and the remains of the canal. Also in the ruins of the mill that pumped water from the river to a the city reservoir nearby (was this one of the 'Ridge Mills'? what were the others?). I was selfishly hoping the film would describe more of the scene of the canal on Rome, but wow, what an awesome accomplishment.
Thank you!
After the paper mill shut down me and my buddies used to drive all the way from Rome to exsplore it and it was worth it. It looked like they just got up and left I found a beer chip in one of the lockers to a bar in Rome that’s still open I find that very interesting
That is so cool that you had a person that actually was there. Very valuable information that will be lost.
Thank you!
Great story... good job.
Thank you! Appreciate that you enjoyed it!
In Europe, especially England, there has been an ongoing effort to preserve their extensive canal system. This has resulted in a much tourism. A large number of people now own canal boats and travel on these canals.
@ chrisconklin 2981
That is true in NY state too. There is an entire canal network along what was once called "The Barge Canal" (after the upgrades
of 1903 - 1918) Now the entire system of working canals in NY state is called the *New York State Canal System* [1][2]
with each canal being renamed to its original name.
Some of the original paths of the Erie canal now have the old towpaths turned into recreational biking and hiking trails,
with picnic areas near some of the old locks. In other areas where the original canal replaced local streams; there is
still water flowing and paths alongside the original channel. These places are part of the *Empire Trail* [3][4][5]
The reason that some offshoots of the original Erie canal as well as other canal systems were closed is that the lock
systems were too expensive to remain The Black River canal --It never reached its final section from Carthage, NY
down to Sackett's Harbor (on Lake Ontario) There are other canals abandoned for the same reason, a lack of traffic,
or a canal that is a dead-end. After the railways became common many little-used, non-upgraded canals were
abandoned. Canals are expensive to maintain in northern USA because of winter snow, frost, ice.
Many of these towns have museums dedicated to the time when a canal was operating in the area.
Within the Adirondack (Mountains) Parks there is a place called the *Fulton Chain of Lakes* [6][7] that are connected;
but these are *not* part of the New York State Canal System; these are just lakes that are connected or very close
together. Small boats are canoes, kayaks, etc. are used. This is a very popular vacation spot.
1) *New York State Canal System* (website)
www.canals.ny.gov/
2.) *New York State Canal System* (about-Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Canal_System
3.) *Empire State Trail* (website)
empiretrail.ny.gov/
4.) *Empire State Trail* (Interactive map)
empiretrail.ny.gov/map
5.) *Empire State Trail* (about Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Trail
6.) *Fulton Chain of Lakes Association* (website)
fultonchainoflakesassociation.org/boating/index.html
7.) *Fulton Chain of Lakes* (about Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_Chain_of_Lakes
@@here_we_go_again2571 Thank You!
My Great-grandmaw was born in 1875, my Grandpaw was born in 1905. They were both living while this canal was in operation. My Great-grandmaw passed in the early seventies, she lived to see the space age. History is not as long ago as we think.
We have a canal and tow path ending in the city I live in, starting in Chicago. It was built to link the great lakes , Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River.
The Illinois Michigan canal starts in Chicago and ends up in La Salle Illinois and connects to the Illinois river which in turn is connected to the Mississippi River.
With that canal build one can start a trip from the St. Lawrence seaway, thru the great lakes and into the I&M canal, Locking thru to the Illinois River, and in turn into the Mississippi river,, South all the way to the gulf of Mexico, Transverse the gulf and around the Key Island in Florida, Sail north along the eastern seaboard until the St. Lawrence seaway takes you around for another trip. Always wanted to due that,, six months north in summer, six months south in winter. Life as a sea dog,, ha ha. Different river city every evening.
Thank You! I'm Very interested (in my fifties), of local/county/state history. Watched a movie on Lumber Barons, of the early 20th century. Fascinating. Not like today where they have pick-ups, tractor trailers, chain saws. Everday, back then, was tortuous, painful, and dangerous.
Thank you!
All of these Canals were inspired by President George Washington and the now famous (rather infamous at the time) Great Falls, Virginia Canal Project...the difference being all of these Canals upon Upstate New and a very important one upon Downstate New York which effectively created New York City were for one purpose and one purpose only namely *"support a Railroad Network"* (which would later include The Telegraph Network which would be invented in the USA.) This Design was ultimately *HUGELY* successful creating the largest Railroad to ever exist in the New York Central with Terminus at Grand Central Terrminal in Mid-town Manhattan and allowing for New York City to become the Financial Capital of the World on or about 1900-present. Hard to overstate the importance of this History therefore so *AWESOME* work here!
Well done
Thank you!
I always camped and hand out beside the Hocking canal. When I was 18 it really didn't mean much. It was cool but had no idea the work that went into building it.
Thank you for the comment!
I, for one, would like to hear some Halfway House Saturday night stories.
51:44 not "five separate locks". They were called combine locks because the lower gate of one was the upper gate of the next. You can see this in the image because each of the lock levels only has one lock gate.
nice work! Thanks.
Thank you!
Too bad everything is destroyed l. The canals in the UK have my desire to be on them. Great documentary.
@ thomasfilion 9064
The entire canal system isn't destroyed! *New York state still has several canals.* Many of the canals like the
Black River canal became redundant with railroads. Also, canals are expensive to maintain, especailly in
northern climates where there is a lot of snow and ice --- Boonville gets over 12 feet (about 4 meters) of
snow every winter!
There is an entire canal network along what was once called "The Barge Canal" (after the upgrades of 1903 - 1918)
Now the entire system of working canals in NY state is called the *New York State Canal System* [1][2] with each
canal being renamed to its original name. (Erie, Oswego, Champlain, Cayuga-Seneca)
Some of the original paths of the Erie canal now have the old towpaths turned into recreational biking and hiking trails,
with picnic areas near some of the old locks. In other areas where the original canal replaced local streams; there is
still water flowing and paths alongside the original channel. These places are part of the *Empire Trail* [3][4][5]
The reason that some offshoots of the original Erie canal as well as other canal systems were closed is that the lock
systems were too expensive to remain The Black River canal --It never reached its final section from Carthage, NY
down to Sackett's Harbor (on Lake Ontario) There are other canals abandoned for the same reason, a lack of traffic,
or a canal that is a dead-end. After the railways became common many little-used, non-upgraded canals were
abandoned. Canals are expensive to maintain in northern USA because of winter snow, frost, ice.
Many of these towns that once had a canal have museums dedicated to the time when a canal was operating in the area.
Within the Adirondack (Mountains) Park there is a place called the *Fulton Chain of Lakes* [6][7] that are connected;
but these are *not* part of the New York State Canal System; these are just lakes that are connected or very close
together. Small boats are canoes, kayaks, etc. are used. This is a very popular vacation spot.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
1) *New York State Canal System* (website)
www.canals.ny.gov/
2.) *New York State Canal System* (about-Wikipedia)
3.) *Empire State Trail* (website)
empiretrail.ny.gov/
4.) *Empire State Trail* (Interactive map)
empiretrail.ny.gov/map
5.) *Empire State Trail* (about Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Trail
6.) *Fulton Chain of Lakes Association* (website)
fultonchainoflakesassociation.org/boating/index.html
7.) *Fulton Chain of Lakes* (about Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_Chain_of_Lakes
Nicely done
Thanks!
A story about how early transport technology worked and faded as newer technology replaced it. Wagon transport was replaced by the cannels, replaced by railroads, and replaced by trucks. So goes the world, always changing and effecting people in negative ways, just to improve the life of the majority.
Near the highways in Ma. the old canals run in the woods along the route.
these people should of built some fire trucks n boats lol !!! great video !
Thank you!
Boy Clinton called that one eh?
To think that any of these canals, (especially the Erie Canal) was dog by Irish immigrants huh? with pick axe and shovel ,horse and wagons? People have (by design) lost their ability to reason. Let go of all beliefs and learn to think again. There was much more in the way of architecture than is ever depicted in photos here. Glorious buildings, canals of course and a street grid that was in place in all the cities in the world (including Booneville) long before 1800. That is a simple fact. No one has ever told us where all the f-ing mud came from either. (@48:28 - 49:14 for instance) Look at the street. All cobblestone beneath that mud with outstanding curbs sidewalks to the sides. Pick ax ,shovel horse and buggy? Wow Those Irish must have brought their women with them to help with such a herculean task. Lol. I always knew there was no way to have built that Erie canal as we are told they did in 7 yrs? One would be hard pressed to see the waterlines replaced in their town over the next 100 yrs.. these seemingly impossible stories are just that. One Giant Lie For Mankind! Research Mudfloods and the catastrophic events that happened in early 1800's and changed the face of nature worldwide. You wont find any of it in your encyclopedias It was a glorious world back then. The world is a pos now. Thanks for the video!
They would have to average 1 mile of canal every 8 days. That is absurd. They wouldn’t be able to even clear cut the land that fast much less construct a mile of canal 4 feet deep and 40 feet wide every 8 days. This is nonsense.
*The original Erie canal was built in 7 years.*
It paid for itself during its first ten years of operation!*
But the original Erie canal that is also called
" *Cllinton's Ditch* " (built 1817 - 1825) is not the
same waterway that exists today
The "expanded"/ "Improved Erie canal, also (now)
called the " *Old Erie Canal* "was began in 1835.
It was much larger and deeper than the original
4 foot deep canal.
From 1903 - >1918, a huge refitting of the canal
was done -- New locks, Longer, wider, deeper
channels. This canal was named the *Barge*
*Canal* (modernizations were done up until
the 1970's -- When the canal could no longer
compete with the Saint Lawrence Seaway)
EDIT TO ADD:
This canal is still in operation today. In 2014
all of the canals in New York were taken over
by the NYS Canal Corporation and returned
to their original names:
Erie Canal
Champlain Canal
Oswego Canal
Cayuga-Seneca Canal
There are bicycling, hiking walking trails along
the present canal = *Empire State Trail* and
also along the defunct, historic Old Erie Canal
and whatever remains (and is accessible of)
Clinton's Ditch = *Canalway/Erie Canal Trail.*
The trails intersect at some places.
Totally agree.
my name is jessie ealy noted at 1:28 to 1:30 in the clips
Rome NY State no aqueduct land.
No way they can build this