Binghamton Fast Fact: The Chenango Canal

Did you know there is a canal buried under State Street and Chenango Street in Binghamton? It helped build Binghamton into a buzzing commerce hub! The canal connected the Susquehanna River to Erie canal using the Chenango River.

The canal was proposed in1824 and finished in 1836. Dug by hand by mostly Irish and Scottish immigrants, it was the inspiration for inventions like the stump puller (they had to removed somehow!).

The town of Port Crane got it's name and it's booming population at the time, from being a stop on the route. Much of the area was built up thanks to the employment opportunities.

The Canal was shut down in 1878, due to the railroad becoming so popular. Today, there are trails along the route and some parts, as I mentioned earlier, are the bed for roadways including Route 12 and 12B. The Chenango Canal Prism and Lock 107 at Chenango Forks were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

So, next time you drive around these roads, think about what's underneath. Now you know!