Though the idea for the St. Lawrence Seaway dates back to the late 1800s, it was not until May 13, 1954 when the Wiley-Dander Seaway Act was signed into law by President Dwight Eisenhower, that this important waterway became a reality. The Act authorized the U.S. government to work jointly with the government of Canada to create a deep-water 114-mile navigation channel in the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Ogdensburg, New York. The seaway enabled large ships and tankers to sail directly from the Atlantic Ocean to Duluth, Minnesota on the Great Lakes. The completed seaway resulted in lower costs for shipping goods to and from the Midwest.
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The following are documents pertaining to this topic:
Memorandum for the President from Secretary of State John Foster Dulles concerning St. Lawrence Project:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo JF Dulles to DDE April 1, 1953
Letter to Secretary Dulles from Secretary of State for External Affairs, Canada, L.B. Pearson concerning St. Lawrence Project:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Attachment to 4 1 53 memo Ltr from Persons March 24, 1953 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Attachment to 4 1 53 memo Ltr from Persons March 24, 1953 Page 2
Memorandum for Legislative Meeting on the St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo by DDE for Legislative mtg re St. Lawrence Seaway March 30 1953
Letter, Major General Guy Henry, Chairman, U.S. Section, Permanent Joint Board of Defense to the President re St. Lawrence Waterway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Maj Gen Henry to DDE April 23 1953
Memorandum, re April 13-17, 1953 meeting of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense(PJBD), Canada-United States concerning the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo re April mtg of Permanent Joint Board on Defence, Canada 1953
Agenda memorandum for members of the PJBD - Canada-U.S. concerning the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Permanent Joint Board on Defence, Canada US on St Lawrence Seaway Agenda Memo April 2, 1953 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Permanent Joint Board on Defence, Canada US on St Lawrence Seaway Agenda Memo April 2, 1953 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/Permanent Joint Board on Defence, Canada US on St Lawrence Seaway Agenda Memo April 2, 1953 Page 3
St. Lawrence Seaway/Permanent Joint Board on Defence, Canada US on St Lawrence Seaway Agenda Memo April 2, 1953 Page 4
"U.S. Costs under Senator Wiley's St. Lawrence Seaway Bill (S.589):
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo re costs of Seaway
"A Report to the National Security Council by the NSC Planning Board on National Security Interests in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Seaway Project":
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Cover
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Incover
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 3
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 4
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 5
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 6
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 7
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 8
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 9
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 10
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 11
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 12
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 13
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 14
St. Lawrence Seaway/NSC 150 report to NSC by NSC Planning Board April 16 1953 Page 15
Letter, Senator Alexander Wiley, Wisconsin, to General Eisenhower concerning U.S. participation in the St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Sen Wiley to Gen Eisenhower 12-30-52 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Sen Wiley to Gen Eisenhower 12-30-52 Page 2
Memorandum, Sen. Wiley to Gen. Eisenhower concerning St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo-Sen Wiley to Gen Eisenhower attached to 12-30-52 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo-Sen Wiley to Gen Eisenhower attached to 12-30-52 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo-Sen Wiley to Gen Eisenhower attached to 12-30-52 Page 3
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo-Sen Wiley to Gen Eisenhower attached to 12-30-52 Page 4
Memorandum, "U.S. Costs under Senator Wiley's St. Lawrence Seaway Bill (S.589)":
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo re costs of Seaway attached to 12-30-52
Letter, President to Congressman George Dondero, Michigan, concerning St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter DDE to Congressman Dondero 5-20-54
Letter, Congressman George Dondero to the President concerning St. Lawrence Seaway project:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Rep Dondero to DDE, 5-14-54; attached to 5-20-54 letter - Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Rep Dondero to DDE, 5-14-54; attached to 5-20-54 letter - Page 2
Press release, by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation concerning the "Wiley-Dondero Canal" and "Bertrand H. Snell Lock" Honor Sponsors of Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Press release St Lawrence Seaway Develop Corp Feb 10 1958 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Press release St Lawrence Seaway Develop Corp Feb 10 1958 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/Press release St Lawrence Seaway Develop Corp Feb 10 1958 Page 3
St. Lawrence Seaway/Press release St Lawrence Seaway Develop Corp Feb 10 1958 Page 4
St. Lawrence Seaway/Press release St Lawrence Seaway Develop Corp Feb 10 1958 Page 5
Letter, Congressman Alexander Wiley to Sherman Adams concerning Seaway bill:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Senator Wiley to Sherman Adams 3-17-53 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Senator Wiley to Sherman Adams 3-17-53 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Senator Wiley to Sherman Adams 3-17-53 Page 3
Letter, Arthur Radford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Senator Homer Ferguson concerning S.2150, creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr, Chair of Joint Chief of Staff to Sen Ferguson 1-18-54 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr, Chair of Joint Chief of Staff to Sen Ferguson 1-18-54 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr, Chair of Joint Chief of Staff to Sen Ferguson 1-18-54 Page 3
Senate bill S.2150, provides for creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development
St. Lawrence Seaway/S 2150 St Lawrence Seaway Act Jan 6 1954 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/S 2150 St Lawrence Seaway Act Jan 6 1954 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/S 2150 St Lawrence Seaway Act Jan 6 1954 Page 3
St. Lawrence Seaway/S 2150 St Lawrence Seaway Act Jan 6 1954 Page 4
St. Lawrence Seaway/S 2150 St Lawrence Seaway Act Jan 6 1954 Page 5
St. Lawrence Seaway/S 2150 St Lawrence Seaway Act Jan 6 1954 Page 6
Press Release, remarks by the Presidnet, Senators Wiley and Ferguson, and Congressman Dondero at the signing of the St. Lawrence Seaway bill:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Press release remarks of Pres, Sen Wiley Ferguson signing of St Lawrence bill May 13 54 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Press release remarks of Pres, Sen Wiley Ferguson signing of St Lawrence bill May 13 54 Page 2
Press Release, official opening ceremony by President Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth II in Montreal:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Pres Release re St Lawrence Seaway Ceremony 5-20-59
Memorandum for the Record, meeting of Sherman Adams, Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson, Secretary of the Army Wilbur Brucker, Secretary of the Treasury Robert Anderson, Bureau of the Budget Director Percival Brundage, Bryce Harlow and Andrew Goodpaster concerning responsiblity and administration of the St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo for the Record 9-18-57 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo for the Record 9-18-57 Page 2
Memorandum for the Record, meeting of Sherman Adams and Secretary of the Army Wilbur Brucker concerning the St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo for the Record 8-20-57 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo for the Record 8-20-57 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo for the Record 8-20-57 Page 3
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo for the Record 8-20-57 Page 4
Memorandum, "St. Lawrence Seaway--Great Lakes, Channels and Harbors":
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo St Lawrence Seaway Great Lake Channels & Harbors 1-4-56 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo St Lawrence Seaway Great Lake Channels & Harbors 1-4-56 Page 2
Letter, the President to Senator Alexander Wiley concerning national security interests in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Seaway Project:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter DDE to Sen. Wiley 4-23-53
Memorandum for Sherman Adams from Walter Bedell Smith, Acting Secretary of State concerning attached memo on foreign policy aspects of St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo - Walter Bedell Smith to Sherman Adams 4-20-53
Memorandum, brief historical summary of the St. Lawrence Seaway project and its effect on U.S.-Canadian relations:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo re St. Lawrence Seaway attached to 4-20-53 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Memo re St. Lawrence Seaway attached to 4-20-53 Page 2
Letter, Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson to Sherman Adams concerning Department of Defense views on the St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Secretary of Defense Wilson to Sherman Adams 4-6-53 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Ltr Secretary of Defense Wilson to Sherman Adams 4-6-53 Page 2
Letter, Secretary of Defense Wilson to Sherman Adams concerning Department of Defense views on St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Secretary of Defense to Sherman Adams 2-19-53
Letter, Secretar of Defense Wilson to Senator Tom Connally concerning Department of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff support of the St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Acting Sec of Defense to Sen. Connally attached to 2-19-53 dated 2-25-53 page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Acting Sec of Defense to Sen. Connally attached to 2-19-53 dated 2-25-53 page 2
Memorandum, Attorney General Herbert Brownell to Sherman Adams concerning Department of Justice opinions on the St. Lawrence Seaway:
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 1
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 2
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 3
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 4
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 5
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 6
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 7
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 8
St. Lawrence Seaway/Letter Attorney General to Sherman Adams c.2-53 Page 9
(Photographs by the U.S. Naval Photographic Center)
For photographs of the St. Lawrence Seaway, please see:
Views of the St. Lawrence Seaway:
67-277-7
67-277-8
67-277-9
67-277-10
67-277-12
67-412-6
(Photographs by the National Park Service)
White House ceremony where President Eisenhower sign S. 1250, an act providing for the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway Developoment Corporation. The signing is witnessed by the Canadian Ambassador A.D.P. Heeney and U.S. senators and congressman (including Alexander Wiley and Homer Ferguson):
St. Lawrence Seaway/72-866-1
St. Lawrence Seaway/72-866-2
St. Lawrence Seaway/72-866-6
For a listing of collections at the Eisenhower Library with materials pertaining to this topic, please see: St. Lawrence Seaway Search Report .
For more information on the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway, please visit the web site for the Department of Transportation: History of the Great Lakes Seaway System.
Secondary sources on this topic include:
St. Lawrence Seaway by Clara Ingram Judson, Follett Publishing Company, Chicago, 1959.
The St. Lawrence Waterway: A Study in Politics and Diplomacy by William R. Willoughby, The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, 1961.
The Seaway Story by Carleton Mabee, The Macmillan Company, New York, 1961.
Report to the Congress of the United States: Audit of Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation for the Period July 1, 1959, through December 31, 1960 by the Comptroller General of the United States, January 1962.
Use these searches to find information on any of the Presidential Libraries web sites. Check the box next to the library or libraries you wish to search.
Enter search terms to narrow your search.
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