Black River Canal The Black River Canal is one of the most influential aspects of Lyons Falls' history. The story of the canal began in 1836, when the construction of a canal was authorized to be built from the Black River to Boonville. The canal would be continued from Boonville south to Rome and north to Lyons Falls. The contract for the canal from Rome to Boonville was signed in November of 1837 and would be 14 miles in length. The canal started toward Lyons Falls in 1838. The canal was finally completed in 1855. It had six aqueducts, twelve waste-weirs, eighteen culverts, thirty-six road bridges, forty farm bridges, three tow bridges, and two dams, and stretched about ninty-five miles. Within thirty-five miles, there were 109 locks, a world record. The canal brought a lot of industry to Northern New York, including Lyons Falls. Hazel C. Drew wrote about the influence the Canal had on the Village of Lyons Falls in her book, Tales From Little Lewis. An excerpt is attached: ...download>>