From the original Erie Canal to the Barge Canal System, crossing the Niagara Escarpment posed immense challenges to canal engineers.
The first Lockport locks were designed by Nathan Roberts, who was in charge of constructing the Erie Canal from "the mountain ridge" at Lockport to Lake Erie. In 1822 he advertised for "1000 men wanted at Lockport - twelve dollars per month and found" (meaning room and board). Excavation for the locks and the "deep cut" channel section southwest of the locks required extensive blasting and drilling of rock.
Drill holes were packed with DuPont blasting powder, a newly invented explosive, which was far superior to gunpowder. Work on the locks and "the cut" was extremely dangerous due to careless and inexperienced blasting. The shattered rock was removed by timber derricks, powered by horse driven treadmills. Work continued through the winter. Holes drilled into the rock face were filled with water. the rock would crack and split as the water froze. The builders of the Erie Canal had a genius for improvisation.
The original Lockport locks were completed on June 25, 1825. Within a short time the locks, like the entire canal, proved too small to handle the large volume of boat traffic.
The combined locks were rebuilt on a larger scale between 1836 and 1847. Work on the enlarged Erie Canal was halted under the "Stop Law: of 1842, enacted in response to serve state debt. Work was resumed in 1847. The enlargement of the entire Erie Canal was not completed until 1862. The enlarged Lockport locks operated until the southern tier was removed in 1910 for construction of Lock 34 and 35 of the Erie Barge Canal.
The north tier of the combined locks was left intact and passed vessels during Barge Canal construction. The old locks today serve as a visible reminder of the genius of the first canal builders in New York State.
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Thomas Evershed (1817-1890)
As New York State Engineer, Evershed made numerous contributions, and served an important roll in canal development. By 1838, he was supervising the construction of both sets of combined "Flights of Five" locks in Lockport. (Marker Number 7.)
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