The Short-Lived Canal Boom
An era of canal construction began in the 1820s, when the Erie Canal was completed and
other inland waterways were constructed. This efficient means of transporting goods was
soon replaced by the railroads, which were being developed at the same time. In 1840, the
number of miles of canal and railroads were equal (3200 mi), but railroads, which could be
constructed almost anywhere in this vast, undeveloped land at a much lower cost, superseded
canals as a form of intercity transportation. Thus, after a short-lived period of intense
activity, the era of canal construction came to an end.