Syracuse began as a trading post at the mouth of Onondaga Creek. Salt from wells was produced here from 1796 to 1900. Industry began in 1793, when Thomas Wiard began making wooden plows. Shortly after 1800, a blast furnace was built that produced iron utensils and, during the War of 1812, cast shot for the Army. When the Erie Canal reached town in the late 1820s, Syracuse's industrial future was assured. Today the city has many large and varied industries.