"Big Ditch" Was the Panama Canal, Not the Erie Canal

Nickname Belongs to Panama

"The Big Ditch" was the popular early 20th-century moniker for the Panama Canal—reflecting its colossal excavation (200M+ cu yd) and the perception of a giant trench across the isthmus.

Erie Canal Nicknames

• "Clinton's Ditch" (derisive, after Gov. DeWitt Clinton).
• "The Great Western Canal" (promotional).
• "The Eighth Wonder of the World" (contemporary praise).

Why the Mix-Up?

Both are famous canals; "ditch" is a colloquial term for any canal. But historically, "Big Ditch" = Panama.