Great Lakes nations maintain coast guard vessels in the Great Lakes. During settlement, the Great Lakes and its rivers were the only practical means of moving people and freight. Barges from middle North America were able to reach the Atlantic Ocean from the Great Lakes when the Welland canal opened in 1824 and the later Erie Canal opened in 1825. By 1848, with the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal at Chicago, direct access to the Mississippi River was possible from the lakes. With these two canals an all-inland water route was provided between New York City and New Orleans. The
Gosen Canal Gosen Canal The Gosen Canal () is a canal in the eastern suburbs of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It takes its name from the village Gosen, at the southern end of the canal. It is in length and links the Dämeritzsee and Seddinsee lakes. The Dämeritzsee and Seddinsee are both navigable, with the Seddinsee providing a link to the River Dahme and the Oder-Spree Canal, and the Dämeritzsee providing a link to the Müggelspree reach of the River Spree and to the Flakensee. Although the plan for the Gosen Canal goes back to 1872, construction did not start