Nestled in the eastern end of Niagara County are the townships of Royalton and Hartland. The village of Middleport lies mostly within the town of Royalton, with a small part in the town of Hartland. When the Erie Canal was built through Royalton and opened in 1824, it connected the interior of the United States with the Atlantic Ocean, and the entire area was forever changed by the canal. The area earned a reputation as an excellent fruit-farming region and orchards appeared, along with the chemical-spraying industry. Royalton, Hartland, and especially Middleport became extraordinarily important in these two industries, and the canal was the focal point. The Erie Canal continued to be a major shipping factor for the region until the barges discontinued use in the 1950s.