A forbidden love. An impossible dream.
A daring venture to open America . . .

The year is 1810. For decades men have dreamt of reaching west of the Hudson - of unlocking the untold riches in America’s heartland. Yet, these visionaries lacked the necessary skill, willpower, and political might.

Enter: DeWitt Clinton, mayor of New York City.

Ignoring naysayers and cynics, Clinton vows to construct an audacious waterway through the wilderness to Lake Erie but he needs support in the highest echelons of New York society – and he knows the only woman who can help him.

Eleanora Van Rensselaer rules a vast estate, but her wealth will vanish if a dark secret is revealed.  In pursuit of the Erie Canal, Clinton enlists Eleanora’s persuasive charm along with the practical know-how of ship captain Daniel Hedges.  Her social savvy and his frontier ingenuity form an ideal team - if only they can fight the powerful feelings growing between them.

But the war of 1812 threatens all they have built.

Despite wrenching personal loss, Daniel and Eleanora battle for the completion of the vast canal that will transform America.

And somewhere along the way, they might just find a love that will change them forever.