Why does the song say 15 miles on the Erie Canal?
Fifteen miles was the common distance a mule or horse would work before resting. This is “a falsehood made up to explain a falsehood,” says Dan Ward, former curator at The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse NY.
What does low bridge everybody down refer to?
The music cover published in 1913 depicts a boy on a mule getting down to pass under a bridge, but the reference to “low bridge” in the song refers to travelers who would typically ride on top of the boats. The low bridges would require them to get down out of the way to allow safe passage under a bridge.
Who wrote Whoa Mule?
One Lomax version has floating lyrics from “Huckleberry Picnic” Frank Dumont in 1877. Here are the lyrics to “Whoa Mule” by Andy Griffith Used to have an old banjo, ‘Twas all strung up with twine, And the only song you’d hear me sing, Was I wish that gal was mine.
What is the name of the mule in the Erie Canal song?
The crossword clue Mule in an Erie Canal song with 3 letters was last seen on the September 26, 2017. We think the likely answer to this clue is SAL.
What killed the Erie Canal?
More than half of the original Erie Canal was destroyed or abandoned during construction of the New York State Barge Canal in the early 20th century. The sections of the original route remaining in use were widened significantly, mostly west of Syracuse, with bridges rebuilt and locks replaced.
How long was the journey from Albany to Buffalo on the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal was the first fast and cheap route through the Appalachian Mountains. Before the canal was built it took 15 to 45 days to travel from Albany to Buffalo by wagon and cargo cost about $125 a ton. After the canal was built, it took about 9 days at a cost of $6 a ton.
Who wrote 15 miles on the Erie Canal?
Thomas S. AllenLow Bridge, Everybody Down (or Fifteen Years on the Erie Canal) / Composer
Who sang the Erie Canal song?
Seven YearsLow Bridge, Everybody Down (or Fifteen Years on the Erie Canal) / Artist
What president built the Erie Canal?
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton His efforts paid off, and in 1817 the first canal authorization bill passed by a narrow margin. Clinton was elected Governor later that year, just before construction of the Erie Canal started at Rome on July 4, 1817.
Why was it called Clinton’s Ditch?
On July 4, 1817, construction began in Rome, NY, on the Erie Canal. A mere four-feet-deep and forty-feet-wide, the waterway was nicknamed “Clinton’s Big Ditch” after Governor DeWitt Clinton, who pursued the goal of connecting Buffalo’s Lake Erie with the Hudson River without any support from the federal government.
Does Erie Canal still exist?
Portions of the original canal are still operable, though tourism is now the main source of boat traffic along the Erie Canal. Commercial and shipping traffic declined abruptly after the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.
Why is the song Erie Canal?
Around 1905 mule powered barge traffic had converted to steam power and diesel power was about to take over. The Erie Canal Song was written to commemorate the history of nearly 100 years of life along the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal Song is the most recognised of all the Erie Canal folksongs.
Why do they drain the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal is drained every year to allow repairs and maintenance over the winter.
What nickname did the Erie Canal get?
Clinton’s Ditch
Clinton’s Ditch – Nickname for the original Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.
Is Erie Canal still in use today?
Erie Canal Today Portions of the original canal are still operable, though tourism is now the main source of boat traffic along the Erie Canal. Commercial and shipping traffic declined abruptly after the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.
Can you sail from Lake Erie to the Atlantic Ocean?
The St. Lawrence Seaway is actually a series of locks, canals and rivers that connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Officially, the seaway extends from Montreal to Lake Erie and includes the Welland Canal. The route also includes 15 total locks.