Commercial Street Bridge Over the Erie Canal, 1926

Courtesy New York State Museum

Looking north toward the Commercial Street bridge over the Erie Canal we can see the intersection of the Commercial Slip with the walls of the Erie Canal at the base of the left bridge abutment. In front of the right bridge abutment are the remnants of a most historic tier of steps that marked the disembarkation point for hundreds of thousands of immigrants completing the westward passage on the Erie Canal. This entire intersection is now covered by the Memorial Auditorium.