Running from the Canadian border to Long Island Sound, the Connecticut River cuts through the heart of New England. And for a period of about 40 years, a concerted effort was made to turn the rather wild and narrow river into a transportation superhighway to rival the Hudson. Between 1792 and 1835, seven canals were built to circumvent rapids, with the dream of making the river navigable as far as Barnet, Vermont, 280 miles from the Sound. In this virtual program, Andrew Gustafson, who has paddled most of the river by canoe, will trace the history of engineering and navigation, why the effort ultimately failed, and where this disused infrastructure can still be seen today.
- Farmington, Hampshire, Hampden Canals, 1828 Map (David Rumsey Map Collection)
- Connecticut River Museum
- The Connecticut River and the Valley of the Connecticut (1906)
- Boats Across New England Hills (1941)
- Farmington Canal Heritage Trail
