Why does the song say 15 miles on the Erie Canal?
Allen’s original version commemorates 15 years of working along the canal with Sal. The new version using the word miles refers to the average distance a mule would tow a barge before resting or being relieved by another mule.
What is the meaning of the song Erie Canal?
Allen. The Erie Canal Song, as it is commonly known by today, was written in 1905 under the title Low Bridge, Everybody Down about life on the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal Song was written to commemorate the history of nearly 100 years of life along the Erie Canal.
What was the reason for the cry Low Bridge, Everybody Down?
Allen chose the title Low Bridge, Everybody Down because the canal had just ditched the mules for steam power and he wanted to pay homage to the animal so critical to canal operations. That Allen celebrates the mule Sal tells us he’s commemorating a then not-too-distant past.
Who Wrote low bridge?
Thomas S. AllenFifteen Miles on the Erie Canal / LyricistThomas S. Allen, an early figure in Tin Pan Alley, was an American vaudeville composer, manager, and violinist. He was born in Natick, Massachusetts, and died in Boston. Wikipedia
Is the Erie Canal still used?
Since the 1990s, the canal system has been used primarily by recreational traffic, although a small but growing amount of cargo traffic still uses it. Today, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor covers 524 miles (843 km) of navigable water from Lake Champlain to the Capital Region and west to Buffalo.
What does Low Bridge, Everybody Down refer to?
a. What do they think the words “Low Bridge – Everybody Down,” mean? Those who traveled on the boats would often ride up on the roof of the boat, if the weather was nice. But, when they came to a low bridge, they would have to either duck down or get off the roof in order for the boat to fit beneath the bridge.
How deep is the Erie Canal now?
12-23 ft deep
Fast Facts
| JUST THE FACTS | |
|---|---|
| Canal dimensions, 1918- present Erie Barge Canal | 12-23 ft deep x 120-200 ft wide; locks 310 ft long |
| Cost to build | $7,143,789 |
| Return on Investment | 10 years |
| Number of aqueducts to bypass rivers and streams | 18 |
What is the Erie Canal song?
Music about the Erie Canal Arguably, the most recognized Erie Canal song is Low Bridge, Everybody Down. Many people, including publishers and Hollywood film makers, believed it was a 19th century folk song. Many more recognize that it was written by tin-pan alley composer, Thomas S. Allen, but believe that it was composed in 1905.
Is the Erie Canal still around?
With several miles of the Canal inland of this location still lying under 20th-century fill and urban construction, the effective western navigable terminus of the Erie Canal is found at Tonawanda.
What is the Erie Canal for kids?
for Kids The Erie Canal in New York was built between 1817 and 1825. There are 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo in the canal. It was the longest artificial waterway and the greatest public works project in North America at the time.