During the 1800s, many Americans and newly arrived immigrants were eager to move west, but the Appalachian Mountains made western land routes tortuous. New York State Governor DeWitt Clinton believed a canal across his state could create an inland water route from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Erie, a virtual gateway to the West. Although many scoffed at the idea and called it "Clinton's Folly," digging began on July 4, 1817, on the 363 mile long, 40 foot wide, 4 foot deep Erie Canal. Also commonly referred to as "Clinton's Ditch," the canal officially opened on October 26, 1825, after eight years and seven million dollars. The opening ceremony included Clinton "wedding the waters" from Lake Erie with the Atlantic Ocean. The Erie Canal reduced travel time between New York City and Buffalo from six weeks to ten days, carried a steady flow of settlers and commercial traffic, enriched communities along its route, helped make New York City the greatest seaport in the New World, and contributed to New York becoming the "EMPIRE STATE".