History of Albany, New York (1784–1860) 1807, Robert Fulton initiated a steamboat line from New York to Albany, the first successful enterprise of its kind. By 1810, with 10,763 people, Albany was the 10th largest urban place in the nation. The town and village known as "the Colonie" to the north of Albany was annexed in 1815. In 1825 the Erie Canal was completed, forming a continuous water route from the Great Lakes to New York City. Unlike the current Barge Canal, which ends at nearby Waterford, the original Erie Canal ended at Albany; Lock 1 was located north of Colonie Street. The Canal emptied into
Griebnitzsee of lakes towards the Großer Wannsee. The remaining water flows through the Griebnitzsee to its western end, where it flows into the River Havel near Potsdam. The length of the Griebnitzsee is navigable, and forms part of the Teltow Canal route that links the River Havel with the River Spree and the Oder-Spree Canal, bypassing the reach of the River Spree through central Berlin. The navigable Griebnitz Canal provides an alternative link from the Griebnitzsee to the River Havel via the Großer Wannsee. During the time of the Berlin Wall, the border between Berlin and East Germany ran down the