Why did the Murray Canal not get built until the 1880s?
The Murray Canal was opened in 1889 to much fanfare, but the real question is why it took so long. John Graves Simcoe insisted there be a canal built here in 1794, but could not make it happen. Through the decades, many surveys suggest this or that route for a canal but could not make the finances or politics work. Why did the Canadian government finally support the project? Lobbying and politics had a lot to do with it and the stars aligned, finally.
"A History of the Murray Canal" provides the detailed story of why it took so long for governments to come to the decision to finally build the Murray Canal, then how it happened. The lobbying from interested parties was intense! There were many surveys for a route from the Bay of Quinte to Lake Ontario, but the final decision came down to basic geology and cost management. The book includes details of how the canal was dug, complications and adjustments, as well as the problems that delayed its completion. The Murray Canal served in the role of a regional transportation link and did a good job of it during and after the steamboat era. Today it is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway and supports mostly recreational boaters. If anyone feels the canal is irrelevant, remember the hub-bub when a new bridge was being planned. It will all be in this book.