The Erie Canal is a 363-mile long waterway and a major piece of history that runs through Oneida County, NY in three areas: Rome, Utica, and Sylvan Beach. Celebrating 200 years since its historical opening, 2025 marks the Erie Canal Bicentennial and a unique opportunity to celebrate this incredible waterway.
In 1817, the first dig of the Erie Canal began in Rome, NY. The canal transformed New York State, especially Oneida County— turning Utica into a major trade center and Rome into a thriving industrial town.
The Rome to Utica section of the Erie Canal was the first to be completed, and by 1825 the entire canal was open for travel. It created the first continuous waterway from the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes and helped shape New York into the Empire State, with the canal now being recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
The Erie Canal continues to be celebrated in Oneida County to this day, with the Bicentennial bringing even more excitement! 2025 will bring grand openings, special events, and the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief traveling through Sylvan Beach, Rome and Utica.
