"When gorgeous the countless straight stems, the forests at the wharves, thicken with colors,
When every ship richly drest carries her flag at the peak..."
- A Broadway Pageant (
more...)
New York's deep-water port attracted vessels from around the world with its many natural advantages. After the Erie Canal opened in 1825, linking New York with the Great Lakes, the port expanded at a tremendous rate, providing a portal for over 2,000 immigrants a day and employment for thousands. By mid-century, steam-powered ships designed by innovator
Robert Fulton were accommodating a myriad of goods and passengers, including Whitman himself.