William McNeil

Historical marker location:

1A North Main Street, Hammond, New York

( Marker is on Main Street (New York State Route 37) 0.1 miles north of Mill Street, on the left when traveling north.)

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.