Historical Marker
Western Star
Historical marker location:
9620 State Street, Bridgewater, New York
( Marker is at the intersection of State Street (U.S. 20) and South Street (County Route 8), on the left when traveling west on State Street.)
Marker installed: 2020
The Erie Canal, which opened in 1825 and connects the Hudson River to the Great Lakes, was originally mocked as "Clinton's Folly" after Governor DeWitt Clinton, who championed the project. However, the canal became an economic boon for New York and helped turn the state into a major commercial center.