Water was another key resource for the iron industry. Rivers -- including the Saranac, Ausable, and Hudson -- were damned and giant water wheels powered machinery.

In 1823, the Champlain Canal opened. The Champlain Canal connected Lake Champlain to the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. Once the canal opened, the mining companies were able to ship their goods on all-water routes to cities like Albany, Troy, and New York.