Its construction began in 1817 near Rome, New York
Rome was chosen because it was the easiest place to start  no 
lock or... [DOC] [TLE] History - American Studies @ The University of Virginia [PAR] Another New Yorker interested in canal development, Elkanah Watson, met 
several .... Construction of the Erie Canal began on July 4, 1817, its correlation to 
... Construction began on a middle section around Rome, New York connecting 
the... [DOC] [TLE] New York Timeline 1817 by David Minor - The Crooked Lake Review [PAR] 1817.