Situated in east central New York State, the Mohawk Valley runs 148 miles (east-west) and is created by the Mohawk River. The Mohawk Valley has played an influential historical role in human settlement, migration, and transportation. Home to many nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Mohawk Valley was the location of numerous battles during the French and Indian War (1754–1763) as well as during the American Revolution (1775–1783) because of its strategic importance—it served as the only natural east-west passage through the Appalachian Mountains. The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, follows part of the course of the Mohawk River and created the first water route between the eastern United States and the Midwest. This geographic fact was exploited by thousands of settlers as they migrated west. In addition, the Mohawk Valley served as the main route by which agricultural products from the Midwest were transported east and industrial goods made their way west. The New York Central Railroad also followed a course through the Mohawk Valley. During the twentieth century, the Mohawk Valley was a prime location for new industries in the United States. Some historians maintain that the importance of the valley with regard to migration, transportation, industrialization, and commerce contributed to the growth of New York City as a world city.
Bibliography
Phelan, Thomas. The Hudson-Mohawk Gateway: An Illustrated History. Northridge, Calif.: Windsor, 1985.
