Remains of the Erie Canal Lock 21 in Rexford. NY

Long ago, the Mohawk River wasn't deep enough in spots to be totally navigable from Albany, New York to Buffalo, New York. Engineering at that time wasn't in a position to attempt to "smooth out" the depth of the Mohawk River itself in some fashion to make it navigable. It would be too difficult to build dams across the entire width of the river.

Instead, a modestly sized MAN-MADE canal was built parallel to the river -- allowing goods to be towed along the canal via barge.

Since the land rises significantly between Albany and Buffalo, a lock and dam system was constructed to gradually move barges uphill in a stairstep fashion. Thus, the first version of the Erie Canal was born in 1825. Overnight, Western New York was opened to a business boom.

The days of the Erie Canal are long over. Goods are now more efficiently transported across New York via railroads or highway trucking. Segments of the canal have been turned into parks and bike paths and historical entities. Now the Mohawk River ITSELF has become navigable via a lock and dam system -- for pleasure boating. It's not really appropriately called the Erie Canal since that term refers only to the MAN-MADE canal.

Erie Canal Lock 21 (aka the Lower Aqueduct Lock) is now part of the property of the Schenectady Yacht Club. They use the still standing portion of Lock 21 to hoist boats out for Winter storage.