next, a look at our recent visit to lafayette and westlaw fayed indiana. -- and west lafayette, indiana. you are watching american history tv. >>

next, a look at our recent visit to lafayette and westlaw fayed indiana. -- and west lafayette, indiana. you are watching american history tv. >> the development of canals and railroads was important to the early growth of lafayette. we visited the four depot to learn more about transportation's role in the city's history. >> the first canal got here from fort wayne in 1843, connecting the wabash river down to the ohio river and then up to toledo. it was possible to go by canal boat that distance. it made it possible for products from here to go to the northeast, up to new york city. that was significant because this was a transfer point. the farmers could bring their grain. the animals could be processed here at various packing plants here. they could transfer those products, the slaughtered animals and the grain, to canal boats and later on to the railroad. the railroads began to finish off the canal. trains came in in the 1850's prior to the civil war. it put us in contact with chicago, put us in contact with toledo, and that meant also new york and the great lakes. of course, southw