Second Ward Second World War Memorial

Historical marker location:

Schenectady, New York

( Memorial is at the intersection of Nott Street and Hattie Street, in the median on Nott Street.)

Marker installed: 1944

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.