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Black River Canal

from Tongues in Trees by Dan Berggren

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about

© 2010 - The canal museum in Boonville, NY, triggered my interest in this fascinating mode of transportation and its influence on an entire region of New York State. Dedicated to Dale Ferris, the spirit behind the museum.

lyrics

(chorus)
Black River Canal - from Lyons Falls to Boonville
Black River Canal - from Boonville down to Rome
One-hundred-nine locks - more than blocks of limestone
Made the Black River Canal

Flowing north and west to Lake Ontario
Black River helped the region to grow
Fed by the Deer, the Otter and the Moose
The Beaver and the Independence, too
Ten years of politics got it off the ground
Then another twenty to build it strong and sound
Sawmills, gristmills, and the tanneries
Saw fifty years of prosperity
(chorus)
Pine for the lumber and hemlock for the bark
Spars made of spruce for the ships of New York
Deliver the load, turn around, pay your toll
Return with dry goods and coal
(chorus)
Breaks in the feeder, greed in the woods
Low water in summer, mills couldn't make their goods
The canal was costing more than it was bringing in
Letting the railroad win
(chorus)
© 2010 Dan Berggren

credits

from Tongues in Trees, released April 1, 2013

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about

Dan Berggren New York

Dan Berggren is a tradition-based songsmith who writes with honesty, humor and a
strong sense of place. His songs explore the many dimensions of home, hard-working
folks, taking care of our planet and each other. Dan’s roots are firmly in the Adirondacks where he was raised but his music has
branched out across many borders.
... more

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