Transportation & Technology Series

Canals, Riverboats & Nineteenth Century Technological Prowess

Engineering the Erie Canal in the Capital Region
The Erie Canal project required detailed planning and organization. Andrew Wolfe will talk about the project, from an engineering perspective.

Andrew Wolfe received his B.S. in Civil Engineering, his M.S. in Environmental Engineering, and his PhD in Transportation Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Instituteis. He has worked on a variety of civil and environmental engineering projects, and is currently employed as a professional engineer with Roger Creighton Assoc. He is Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Union College.

The Erie Canal: Evolution of a Cultural Landscape
In this talk, Craig Williams shows how the Erie Canal impacted more than the physical and industrial face of our region. In fact, an entire culture has developed around the canal.

(photo)

As Senior Curator of History at the New York State Museum, Craig Williams is highly involved in providing public access to information about the Erie Canal, including "Erie Things at Schoharie Crossing", a 2000 presentation at UAlbany, and an Erie Canal series at the New York State Museum in January, 2002.

Silicon Valley of the Nineteenth Century
Tom Carroll will explain how cutting edge technology in education, investment banking and transportation combined to turn the Hudson-Mohawk region into what has been called "the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution".