The Erie Canal made New York into The Empire State and transformed the shape of a young nation. Many towns and villages along the Erie Canal might never have existed if it weren't for what many called the "Eighth Wonder of the World."

Every picture tells a story and so do many of the official seals of the municipalities along the Erie Canal. Their symbolism tells the story of the canal itself from the perspective of those who were directly affected. Generations of people derived their livelihood from the canal, cities and towns prospered and grew, and their seals reveal the source of...