FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2024-09 

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (May 13, 2024) – In this edition of Fun with Maps we learn about the passage of a special act to create a passage by waterway.

HIGHWAY H2O

Today is the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Wiley-Dondero Seaway Act – May 13, 1954 – which authorized the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

This inland navigation system allows passage for ships to sail from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean. It took almost 5 years to complete the project, with the first ocean-bound ship set on the course on April 25, 1959.

The 2300-mile waterway ranks as the longest in the world.  Its 110 ports are located in 8 states, Ontario and Quebec.  The navigable lakes and river channels are connected by locks to avoid dams and rapids in the rivers.

Today cargo ships alone account for $50 billion of business for the United States.  Cruises along the seaway are commercially available, and recreational boats can enjoy the journey at a cost of $30 per lock.

A portion of the St. Lawrence is captured by Bellin in this 1754 map.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.