Black River Canal Trail # 1 Traditional Cache

The 77-mile long Black River Canal was an engineering marvel of the 19th century.  Built between 1837 and 1855, the Black River Canal ran uphill, connecting the waters of the Erie Canal with those of Black River.  The southern section of the overland canal linked Rome and Boonville, a distance of  25 miles.  Following the rugged Lansing Kill Gorge, this section of the canal rose 693 feet and required 70 locks.  The northern section of the overland canal connected Boonville and Lyons Falls, a distance of 10 miles.  This section of the canal descended 386 feet and required 39 locks.  All together, the Black River Canal had 109 locks--still a world record.   Between Lyons Falls and Carthage, a distance of 42 miles, the Black River itself was canalized for slack-water navigation.  By giving the North Country access to  eastern and midwestern markets, the Black River Canal was instrumental in the region's growth and prosperity.