🔒Why Lockport Was the Key to Unlocking Niagara

Why Lockport Was the Key to Unlocking Niagara

Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world—but in the 1800s, it was also a massive obstacle.

The Niagara River drops over 300 feet in just 36 miles, including the Falls themselves. That made it impossible for boats to travel between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario—cutting off trade and slowing growth.

So what did New York do?

They built a canal to go around it.

The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, was one of the most ambitious engineering projects of its time. It stretched over 360 miles across the state—from Albany on the Hudson River to Buffalo on Lake Erie—bypassing the dangerous Niagara River entirely.

And the most difficult part of that canal? Lockport.

There, engineers constructed the famous “Flight of Five” locks, using an innovative stair-step system to lift boats nearly 60 feet up the Niagara Escarpment. These locks weren’t just functional—they were revolutionary, helping open the Great Lakes to the Atlantic and turning Buffalo, Rochester, and the entire Niagara region into major commercial hubs.

Even Charles Dickens visited Lockport to see the locks firsthand. Presidents, inventors, and entrepreneurs passed through them on their way west.

So next time you hear “Lockport,” remember: it wasn’t just a small canal town. It was the gateway around Niagara Falls—and one of the great turning points in American history. 🚢🔧🌊