1962. 

The Wabash-Erie Canal, initiated in 1829 to connect Lake Erie to the Ohio River, faced significant financial challenges, leading to Indiana's near bankruptcy by 1840. Construction began in 1832 and was completed in 1853, but the canal's relevance diminished with the rise of railroads, which shifted commerce away from waterways. Despite its initial success in facilitating transportation and trade in the Maumee and Upper Wabash Valleys, the canal's decline began post-1856, culminating in the sale of its right-of-way after the state repudiated its bond obligations in 1873.