When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, it was celebrated as a modern engineering marvel. In many places, the 363-mile canal was dug by hand, requiring constant ingenuity to traverse challenging terrain. Locks handled major elevation changes, while aqueducts allowed the canal to flow uninterrupted over rivers and other waterways. An aqueduct was first built here in 1825 across Plotter Kill Creek. Known as the Van Slycks or Flat Stone Creek aqueduct, it was replaced in 1840 as the canal's success demanded a larger structure for increased boat traffic. Canal aqueducts used an arched stone bridge for the towpath beside stone pilings that supported a wooden trough carrying canal water. In July 1891, a storm caused catastrophic damage, carrying away large parts of the aqueduct and forcing the canal to close for days. Rebuilt again, it became obsolete by 1915, when the aqueduct was bypassed by the larger Barge Canal built into the Mohawk River. The original Erie Canal included 18 aqueducts, and after the canal was enlarged, 32 more stone and wood structures were built. The remains of a much larger aqueduct can be seen about 10 miles east along the trail, where the Rexford Aqueduct once carried the enlarged canal across the Mohawk River.
