Welcome to the Saturday edition of The Conversation U.S.’s Daily newsletter.

I grew up on the Erie Canal, which stretches more than 300 miles across New York. Though narrow, it’s the heart of my hometown, lined with ice cream shops and restaurants. I’ve spent hundreds of hours on the water or the path beside it – running, rowing or walking with friends, often with one of those ice cream cones in hand.

So when Miami University historian Matthew Smith pitched an article about the canal, I didn’t need much persuading. Originally, plans to dig across the state were derided as a “big ditch” or “Clinton’s folly,” after then-Gov. DeWitt Clinton. But the canal, which turns 200 this month, proved an economic boon, “cementing the Midwest into the prosperity of the growing nation.”

Beyond commerce, the canal fueled a religious revival. At the time, the U.S. was in the midst of the Second Great Awakening, which flourished along the route. The canal helped transport ideas and preachers – leading one author to call the region a “psychic highway.”

Today, many Americans worry that the country’s infrastructure and government both need repairs. The canal is a reminder, Smith writes, that “American democracy has always been built upon concrete foundations.”

This week we also liked stories about the rise in coal plant emissions during the last government shutdown, the tumor-fighting potential of mRNA vaccines, and what influencers might learn from traditional journalism.

One last note: If you find our work valuable, please support us. We’re giving all our donors a free e-book of our recent series looking at bold solutions to the affordable housing crisis.