Through the early part of the American era, such a travel pattern continued, but when the Erie Canal opened in 1825, settlers were able to reach the Michigan Territory by water, turning the nation's westward push to the north. In this movement, the US-12 Heritage Trail played a key role, as settlers left their boats in Detroit to travel overland to Chicago and points in between. The great flood of settlers soon created such a demand for land that the two government land offices located in Detroit and Monroe became insufficient. The White Pigeon Land office opened in 1831 and remained in operation for a little less than three years. During that short period of time the office processed patents on almost all of the territory in southern Michigan west of the meridian line, including the downtown sections of several of Michigan's large cities: Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek. This building now operates as a local museum and is still extant along the highway.
