America’s Stairway places the historic Flight of Five locks on the Erie Canal in Lockport, New York, squarely in the American narrative as a symbol of what a young and developing nation could achieve. It draws a direct line from the Flight of Five to the birth of American tourism and today's heritage tourism industry, which is inextricably linked to grassroots preservation efforts and a community's pride and sense of place. In doing so, this is a story that resonates beyond time and geographic location. The film also explores how the Erie Canal served as a conduit for new ideas and reform movements.

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