With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, Ohio’s modes of transportation have transformed this once vast wilderness and marshland into the State that it is today. In 1825 the Ohio-Erie Canal System had begun and was completed in 1833, this would connect Cleveland to Portsmouth. The Miami-Ohio Canal System also began in 1825 and was completed in 1845 connecting Toledo to Cincinnati. Not only did this allow ease in transportation of goods and people, but it helped drain the massive marshland that existed. In 1959 the St. Lawrence Seaway opened clearing the way for International Trade in 8 Ohio cities on Lake Erie. Railroads made the transportation of goods, supplies and people quicker and more reliable, thus making the canal systems less useful and railway stations became a huge part of Ohio’s society and growth in the 1800’s. With the invention of the automobile, two national highways made their way across the Ohio Valley; signs of both The National Road and the Lincoln Highway can still be found on Ohio’s back roads today. These scenic routes booster tourist attractions and give the traveler a glimpse into American life of the early to mid 1900’s.