1842 - New York State instituted the Stop Act, during which time the state had no money for canal construction. Essentially the              state was broke and there was serious thought whether the Enlarged Erie Canal would again be funded.
1847 - Funds restored to the Enlarged Erie Canal project and work resumed on E-56.
1849 - Lock E-56 was open and first used. It was a single chamber lock allowing only one-way traffic.
1869 - Traffic increases and the need for greater speed at lock sites forced the Canal Commission to double locks along the              enlarged Erie Canal. E-56’s north chamber construction was begun this year.
1874 - The north chamber was completed.
1887 - Line boats on the canal were often tied together and towed as pairs. To accommodate these lengthened craft, locks              were also lengthened. E-56’s north chamber was the last such lock on the Enlarged Erie Canal to have a chamber              lengthened. Sometime during this period (1885), tumble gates were also installed to speed lock operations. Tumble              gates are located on the miter sill (high water) end of the lock and they could be simply dropped to speed transit of              boats.