Wednesdays, July 8, 15, 22, 29 August 5, 12
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m..

When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, it revolutionized American travel and transportation, but its inspiration came from Europe’s earlier canal networks. This course traces the development of French, British, and Irish canals in the 17th and 18th centuries and follows the story into the 19th century, turning to American canals, especially in New York and Pennsylvania. The course also explores how canals reflect the politics and aspirations of different nations and why they still matter for global shipping today. Whether drawn to engineering marvels, the people who built them, or the pleasure of drifting along a canal or hiking a towpath, participants deepen their appreciation of canals’ importance and beauty.

Bernie Carlson is Vaughan Professor Emeritus of Humanities at the University of Virginia and an expert on invention, entrepreneurship, and technology’s role in society.