City Downtown

Historical marker location:

85 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie, New York

( Marker is at the intersection of Civic Center Plaza and Mansion Street, on the right when traveling north on Civic Center Plaza.)

A Notable Industrial and Civic Center. Greater Walkway Experience.

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.