Early Settler

Historical marker location:

5485 NY Rt 41, Homer, New York

( Marker is at the intersection of New York State Route 41 and New York State Route 41A, on the right when traveling north on State Route 41.)

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.