GowanusThe surprising history of the Gowanus Canal and its role in the building of Brooklyn For more than 150 years, Brooklyns Gowanus Canal has been called a cesspool, an industrial dumping ground, and a blemish on the face of the populous boroughas well as one of the most important waterways in the history of New York harbor. Yet its true origins, man made character, and importance to the city have been largely forgotten. Now, New York writer and guide