In 1854 a train crossed the Wabash River and entered Peru for the first time, launching a vital part of the town's history. The current 587-foot long truss bridge was built in 1940, and the limestone block piers from the original structure are still in use. The arrival of the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad marked a turning point in Peru's importance as a transportation hub, where rail cars and water craft shared leading roles at different times. That history began in 1816, when Indiana became a state, and accelerated after an 1829 treaty ceded land on the north bank of the Wabash River, opening the way for construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal. New settlements arose along the proposed canal route, beginning with Miamisport, platted in 1829 by Joseph Holman. By 1832, as Miamisport sought room to grow, William Hood, who owned property to the east, hired canal engineers to plat Peru, offered free lots to residents and churches willing to move there, and donated land for a courthouse and jail to help secure the county seat. Voters granted that wish, leading to Miamisport's demise in 1841 and foreshadowing Peru's incorporation in 1848 and its later role as the Miami County seat. The canal opened to Peru in 1837 and played a key role in the growth of Indiana's population and economy. Indiana then borrowed $10 million to build canals, roads, and railroads and connect the state capitol, including the planned Central Canal from near Peru through Indianapolis to Evansville and the Ohio River, but the depression of 1839-1843 and mismanagement prevented its successful completion. Peru's businessmen still wanted a link to Indianapolis, leading to incorporation of the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad on January 19, 1846. Railroads were first seen as feeders to rivers and canals, but they soon proved far more important, shrinking travel from days to hours. By 1874 canals had become obsolete, and the Wabash and Erie Canal closed in 1876, though remnants remain in Peru beneath this railroad bridge, now part of the Nickel Plate Trail.