They also leased the barge canal from 1853 for 21 years.

Between 1939 and 1940, with war in Europe underway, a new study was made for the construction of a barge canal.

Since 1992, the Barge Canal is no longer known by that name.

What you come up with is the barge canal as an asset unique to New York.

What can you do with the barge canal?

Through the mid-19th century, a horse-drawn barge canal by-passed the river bringing goods into the city.

It was thought that the barge canal would some day make the land more valuable than it was in 1907.

"Even if the barge canal were never used in normal times, it is a good thing to have it in case of emergencies," he said.

The main residence on the property, dating to the mid-1800's, was built by William Schenck, who is known as the father of the barge canal.

In 1905, construction of the Barge Canal began, which was completed in 1918, at a cost of $96.7 million.