CHESAPEAKE and OHIO Canal Counter Financial and Legal Difficulties
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Seneca. Soon afterwards the Chesapeake filled by opening the paddles in the upper ment is being installed to aid in portaging. & Ohio Canal Company began to en gates. When the water in the lock reached By selecting the longer levels, trips of 3 and CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO Canal counter financial and legal difficulties. the height of the upper level the gates 4 miles in each direction may be made The increased cost and long delays in were opened, and the boat was drawn without passing a lock. NATIONAL CAPITAL PARKS construction caused by these troubles from the lock. Georgetown to Seven Locks.— The short nar forced the stockholders to give up the Lock house.—Many of the trim stone row levels of the canal in Georgetown, once contemplated route beyond Cumberland, lock houses seen on the Georgetown Divi the busy congested tidewater terminal, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF where the canal was to cross the Alle- sion were begun in 1828 soon after con afford one of the most picturesque scenes ghenies and extend to Pittsburgh. struction of the canal got under way. along the canal, including the first four THE INTERIOR, Julius A. Krug, Secretary Navigation of the canal was begun as The lock tender was allowed the use of lift locks joined by small canal basins, old NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Newton B. Drury, Director the divisions were completed, first from the lock house, a garden plot on the adja Wisconsin Avenue Bridge, and the north Georgetown to Seneca (1831), then to cent company land, and was paid a small abutment of the Alexandria Aqueduct Harper's Ferry (1833), to near Hancock, salary to compensate him for his labors. (Thirty-sixth Street). The feeder canal for THE NATURAL PASSAGEWAY to the West In 1802, the Potomac Company canals Md. (1839) and finally to Cumberland in Canal Boats.—In the 1870's, during the the Georgetown level at Lock 5 was origi afforded by the Potomac River Valley were substantially completed. Small raft 1850. Canal boats carrying coal, flour, heyday of the canal, as many as 540 boats nally a part of the old Potomac Canal has played an important role in the like boats, propelled by hand with the aid grains, and lumber were seen on the canal were navigating the Chesapeake & Ohio around Little Falls. Nearby, at the north growth and development of our Nation. of the river currents, then began to bring until 1924 when diversion of traffic to the Canal. A typical boat measured 92 feet abutment of the Little Falls Dam, the Through it have passed the Indian trail, furs, lumber, flour, and farm produce to more modern transportation agencies long and 14 feet 6 inches wide and carried ceremony which launched the construction colonial wagon road, canal, railroad, tele Georgetown. Upon reaching the im caused its abandonment. 110 to 120 tons of cargo. Three to five of the canal was staged on July 4, 1828. graph and telephone, and the modern passable Great Falls of the Potomac the CANAL DIMENSIONS, STRUCTURES, mules were required for the boating "out The series of locks between No. 8 (Cabin superhighway. By these constantly im boats entered the company's outstanding AND BOATS fit;" two or three were in use whenever the John) and No. 14 (Carderock) is known proving modes of communication the skirting canal. Here, on the Virginia boat was in motion. The relief team was as "Seven Locks." widely separated eastern and western banks of the river, a canal 1,200 yards long, carried "aboard boat," while the boat Distances and Elevations.—The length of regions of the fast growing Union were 25 feet wide, and 6 feet deep conveyed captain and his family, or the crew, lived the canal is 184.5 miles. The total rise, Widewaler.—The construction of the firmlv linked both socially and commer boats through 5 lift locks over an elevation in a small aft cabin. or incline, between Georgetown and Cum canal in this region differs from any other cially. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, of more than 76 feet. Four other short Bridges and Underpasses.—Pedestrian and berland is approximately 605 feet. The section of the Georgetown Division. By constructed during the great canal-build canals, with a total length of slightly more vehicular access across the canal was pro difference in elevation on the restored sec utilizing an inactive river channel, blocked ing era, illustrates one of the most inter than 3 miles, were built by the company at vided at frequent intervals. Narrow pivot tion of the canal, extending 22.1 miles be from the main stream by the towpath esting early phases of the development of Seneca and Houses Falls, on the Virginia foot bridges were found at each lock. tween Georgetown, D. C, and Seneca, embankments, the early canal engineers our national communication system. The side of the river, and Little and Shenan These bridges were so constructed that Md., is about. 190 feet. saved vast amounts of blasting and excava canal is preserved by the National Park doah Falls, on the Maryland side. Al they could be swung to one side when a tion. The extended width and increased Service so that contemporary and future though the canals and locks of the Potomac boat entered the lock. Stoutly constructed depth of this flooded channel give Wide- Americans may see and enjoy one of the Company were considered a great engi Dimensions of the Canal.—The width of bridges, which could also be swung from water the appearance of an unruffled early attempts of the Nation's fathers neering accomplishment, the improvements the canal varies. The Georgetown level across the lock, were provided at some mountain lake, while the high rugged rock to provide easy access between the older to the river channel were inadequate. Dis (between Georgetown and Little Falls) is points where vehicular access across the formations through which it passes lend East and the expanding frontiers of the appointment grew as it became known that approximately 80 feet wide and 7 feet canal was necessary. At Foundry Branch, added beauty and interest to the scene. West. after the expenditure of more than one- deep. Above Little Falls (Lock 5) the Fletcher's Boathouse, and Carderock, on Widewater may be reached by a foot half million dollars the navigation of the canal measures about 60 feel wide and 6 the Georgetown Division, arched stone bridge which crosses the canal near Old POTOMAC CANAL,1785-1828 Potomac was possible only at times of high feet deep. The towpath is generally 12 underpasses, or tunnels, give access to the feet wide. Angler's Inn. water. river from the berm side of the canal. CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL, 1828-1924 e Great Falls.—This is the most popular Influenced largely by the success of the ADMINISTRATION area on the restored section of the canal. Prior to the American Revolution, in Erie Canal, the popularity of the con Locks.—There were 74 lift locks between ternal transportation was largely confined Georgetown and Cumberland, each hav The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was pur To reach the towpath the visitor passes tinuous canal began to increase rapidly in Great Falls Tavern, built between 1828 to the East along the tidewater reaches of the second decade of the nineteenth ing the capacity to lift or lower a boat ap chased by the Federal Government in 1938. the rivers and bays on the Atlantic coast. proximately 8 feet. Twenty-three of these The canal occupies most of a narrow right- and 1831, and crosses the canal by a century. There followed in the 1820's bridge at Lock 20. Here the hiker may Soon after the settled frontier had extended and 1830's a great canal building era when are located on the restored Georgetown of-way, consisting of 5,253 acres, bought by beyond the Allegheny Mountains con Division. The locks measure 100 feet the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Company turn left (east) and walk along the series the construction of more than 4,000 miles of six locks toward Widewater. To the sideration was begun of a plan to provide of canals was begun or planned. The long, 15 feet wide, and about 16 feet deep. between 1828 and 1850. Restoration of easy means of communication between the Inlet locks at various points along the the Georgetown Division, extending 22.1 right (west) from Lock 20 the visitor may failure of the Potomac Company to pro hike, or canoe, along one of the longest East and West by a navigable waterway. vide a dependable water route to the West canal and a tide lock, or outlet lock, at miles between Georgetown, D. O, and As early as 1754, George Washington, then the mouth of Rock Creek in Georgetown, Seneca, Md., was begun by the National and most scenic levels of the canal. An and the feverish canal building of the era excellent view of the Great Falls of the still in his twenties, began to contemplate contributed greatly to the successful or originally gave entrance to and exit from Park Service, of the Department of the and foster a system of river and canal the canal and river. Interior, soon after the area was acquired. Potomac may be seen from Conn Island ganization of the Chesapeake & Ohio which is reached by a suspension bridge navigation along the Potomac Valley. It The small iron paddle gates located near This work was sufficiently advanced in Canal Company in 1828. Anxious to located near the tavern. was largely through his long and untiring enjoy a large share of the trade with the the bottom of the large wooden lock gates September 1940 to readmit water to this efforts that the Potomac Company was rapidly growing West, promoters in Mary admit and release the water from the lock section.