Ithaca-Owego RR

Historical marker location:

Owego, New York

( Marker is at the intersection of Park Street (New York State Route 96) and Front Street (New York State Route 17C), on the left when traveling south on Park Street.)

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.