 In the early 19th century, there were few roads and mass transportation to the region occurred on waterways such as the Great Lakes, the Ohio River and smaller tributaries.Recognizing the impact that the Erie Canal in New York State had on its development, the Ohio Legislature in approximately 1825 authorized the digging of two canals, one in the eastern part of the state (the Ohio Canal) and a second, the Miami and Erie Canal, in the western portion of the state, both connecting Lake Erie with the Ohio River.Over the next 20–30 years the Miami and Erie Canal gradually took shape as segments were dug and pieced together to create a canal spanning the entire distance between Toledo and Cincinnati.