Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

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Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.jpg
Map showing the location of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Map showing the location of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Location extending from Cumberland, MD to Georgetown, Washington, DC, USA
Nearest city Washington, D.C.
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Area 19,586 acres (7,926 ha)
Established September 23, 1938
Visitors 3,937,504 (in 2011)[1]
Governing body National Park Service
http://www.nps.gov/choh/
Park map

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the District of Columbia and the states of Maryland and West Virginia. The park was established as a National Monument in 1961 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in order to preserve the neglected remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal along the Potomac River along with many of the original canal structures. The canal and towpath trail extends from Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland, a distance of 184.5 miles (296.9 km), and was designated as the first section of U.S. Bicycle Route 50 on October 23, 2013.[2][3]

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

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Main article: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Construction on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (also known as "the Grand Old Ditch" or the "C&O Canal") began in 1828 but was not completed until 1850.[4]:1 Even then, the canal fell far short of its intended destination of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Instead, the canal terminated at Cumberland for a total distance of approximately 184.5 miles. Occasionally there was talk of continuing the canal, e.g. in 1874, an 8.4 mile long tunnel was proposed to go through the Allegheny Mountains,[5] and there was a tunnel built to connect with the Pennsylvania canal.[6] Even though the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) beat the canal to Cumberland, having arrived eight years earlier, the canal was not entirely obsolete. It wasn't until the mid 1870s that through improved technology, specifically with larger locomotives and air brakes, the railroad was able to set rates lower than the canal, sealing its fate.[7]

The C&O Canal operated from 1831 to 1924 and served primarily as a means to transport coal from the Allegheny Mountains to Washington D.C.[8]:6 The canal was closed in 1924 in part due to several severe floods that had a devastating impact on the financial condition of the canal.[9]

Federal Government purchases Canal

Work on restoring Lock 16 on the canal in 1939.

In 1938, the abandoned canal was obtained from the B&O Railroad by the United States in exchange for a loan from the federal Reconstruction Finance Corporation.[10] The government planned to restore it as a recreation area. Additionally, it was viewed as a project for employment for the jobless during the Great Depression. By 1940, the first 22 miles (35 km) of the canal were repaired and rewatered, from Georgetown to Violettes lock and returned to operating condition.[11] The first Canal Clipper boat, giving mule driven rides, began in 1941.[12] It was later replaced by the John Quincy Adams in the 1960s.

The project was halted when the United States entered World War II and resources were needed elsewhere. In 1941, Harry Athey suggested to President Franklin Roosevelt that the canal could be converted into an underground highway or a bomb shelter with its roof for landing airplanes. The whole idea was deemed impractical due to the river's periodic flooding.[13] In 1942, freshets destroyed the rewatered sections of the canal. National Park Service (NPS) official Arthur E. Demaray pressed that the canal from Dam #1 be restored, to supply water to the Dalecarlia Reservoir in case sabotage or bombing destroyed the normal conduits of water. Since this transformed the canal into a concern of national security, in 1942, the War Production Board approved the work.[14] By 1943, Congress had funded the work, repairs were done, and the Park Service resumed boat trips in October 1943.[15]

File:Cumberland Basin looking North.jpg
The Cumberland basin at the canal's terminus in 2013. This area has been changed drastically and is almost unrecognizable compared to how it was during the canal's operating days

The Congress expressed interest in developing the canal and towpath as a parkway. Because of the flooding from the 1920s to the 1940s, the Army Corps of Engineers proposed building 14 dams, that would have permanently inundated 74 miles of towpath, as well as the Monocacy and Antietam aqueducts.[16] Around 1945, the Corps wanted to remove Dam #8, which would destroy any hope of rewatering the canal above Dam #5, as well as put a levee around in the Cumberland area. Much of this was done, with the NPS cooperating with the Corps, since maintaining an operating canal all the way to Cumberland was too expensive, as well as wanting to preserve the western parts of the canal.[17]

Creation of the national park

The Douglas Hike

The idea of turning the canal over to automobiles was opposed by some, including United States Supreme Court Associate Justice William O. Douglas. In March 1954, Douglas led an eight-day hike of the towpath from Cumberland to D.C.[10] Although 58 people participated in one part of the hike or another, only nine men, including Douglas, hiked the full 184.5 miles (297 km). Following this hike, Justice Douglas formed a committee, later to be known as the C&O Canal Association in 1957, which would draft plans to preserve and protect the Canal.[18] Serving as the chairman of this group, his commitment to the park proved successful.

National Monument, then National Park

In 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower made the canal a National Monument under the Antiquities Act, but that hardened the opposition to making the canal a national park. There was some support for making the Potomac River a national river instead.[19] Within ten years, the political climate had changed, and realizing that the national river plan was unsupportable, the idea of turning the canal into a historic park had little opposition. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Act [20] established the canal as a National Historical Park and President Richard Nixon signed it into law on January 8, 1971.[19][21]

Floods of 1996

Summer Flooding before and after in 1996

The winter and summer of 1996 saw two separate floods. Following a blizzard in January, heavy rains washed away the snow and caused extreme flooding and run-off. This major winter flood swept across 80 to 90 percent of the canal and towpath, causing high waters, along with the adjacent Potomac River. Erosion due to the floods lead to heavy damages to the towpath and much of the infrastructure of the canal and park. Following the winter flood, there was an overwhelming need for volunteers in response to the damages caused. Unfortunately, in September, Hurricane Fran caused even more damage to the canal in multiple parts, requiring workers and volunteers to restore and reconstruct the towpath and re-water the canal, several major projects that would take an large amount of time and money to complete.[22]

Restoration efforts

Today, several organizations work to preserve and restore the park’s beauty and history. The C&O Canal Trust,[23] founded in 2007, is the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service. The C&O Canal Association [24] is an all-volunteer citizens organization established in 1954 to help conserve of the natural and historical environment of the C&O Canal and the Potomac River Basin. Together they are making progress in restoration efforts of Canal infrastructure, fixing eroded sections of the towpath and re-watering sections of the Canal to keep it beautiful for both visitors and wildlife, as well as educating the community on the Canal’s rich history in interactive ways at the six different visitor centers along the canal: Georgetown, Great Falls Tavern, Brunswick, Williamsport, Hancock, and Cumberland, operated by the National Park Service and its rangers.[25]

Today

The canal begins at its zero mile marker (accessible only via Thompson's Boat House), directly on the Potomac, opposite the Watergate complex. Author John Kelly, writing for the Washington Post in 2004, suggested that the name of the Watergate complex may derive from its location directly adjacent to the zero milepost of canal, where to this day, the canal's large wooden gate sits directly on the Potomac and adjacent to the complex.[26] Kelly wrote, a canal lock is "quite literally, a water gate." [26][27]

Varied in its geography, the canal and its towpath along with the adjacent Potomac offers activities including running, hiking, biking, fishing, boating and kayaking, as well as rock climbing in certain locations. A small portion of the towpath near Harpers Ferry National Historical Park doubles as a section of the Appalachian Trail, and the Canal also offers a variety of wildlife and birdwatching opportunities.

The park offers rides on two reproduction canal boats, the Georgetown and the Charles F. Mercer, (named after the first president of the Canal corporation, and not the first boat on the canal named Charles F. Mercer.) during the spring, summer and autumn. The boats are pulled by mules, and park rangers in historical dress work the locks and boat while presenting a historical program. Presently the park includes nearly 20,000 acres (80 km²) and receives over four million recorded visits each year.[28] Flooding continues to threaten historical structures on the canal and attempts at restoration. The Park Service has re-watered portions of the canal, but the majority of the canal does not have water in it.

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park now receives more than five million recreation visits annually.[29] The NPS visitor centers have displays and interpretive exhibits on the history of the canal.

In Allegany County, Maryland, the park includes the Western Maryland Railroad Right-of-Way, Milepost 126 to Milepost 160, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.[30][31]

In January 2015, the National Park Service proposed adding entrance fees to virtually all access points along the towpath. In February, amid backlash from communities along the canal, the proposal was rescinded.[32]

Hiker biker campsites

The NPS maintains a number of hiker/biker campsites along the towpath, which have a water pump, picnic area, firepit, and latrine. These are available on a first come first served basis, and are about every 12 miles or so along the towpath. Here is a list of them (data from NPS):[33]

Towpath Mileage Name Comments
16.6 Swains Lock Last free campsite
30.5 Chisel Branch
34.4 Turtle Run
38.2 Marble Quarry
42.5 Indian Flats
47.6 Calico Rocks
50.2 Bald Eagle Island
59.44 Permanently closed Former Blue Ridge campsite.
62.9 Huckleberry Hill
75.29 Killiansburg Cave
79.68 Horseshoe Bend
82.46 Big Woods
90.9 Opequon Junction
95.2 Cumberland Valley
101.28 Jordan Junction
110.0 North Mountain
116.0 Licking Creek Aqueduct
120.6 Little Pool
126.4 White Rock
129.9 Leopards Mill
133.6 Cacapon Junction
139.2 Indigo Neck
144.5 Devils Alley
149.4 Stickpile Hill
154.1 Sorrel Ridge
157.4 Purslane Run
162.1 Town Creek
164.8 Potomac Forks
169.1 Pigman's Ferry
175.3 Irons Mountain
180.1 Evitts Creek

Gallery

Gallery starts at Georgetown and goes upstream to Cumberland, Maryland.

  • Zero mile marker (behind Thompson's Boat House) at the start of the canal, were it meets the Potomac River. Note the remains of the waste weir "water gate" in the background.

  • Tidewater lock, where the Canal ends in Georgetown, by Watergate. Zero mile marker is just to the left of the footbridge.

  • The Rock Creek Basin, just before the Tide lock

  • C&O canal monument located in Georgetown, DC

  • Remains for a Mill Water Intake on the 4 mile level (Georgetown) just below Key Bridge. The canal sold water to several mills.

  • A spillway (across from Foxhall Road in DC), on the 4 mile level of Georgetown.

  • The NPS built this spillway (also on the 4 mile level) in 1936.[34] Note Chain Bridge in background

  • Historic 4 mile marker, just after 2nd spillway

  • Hydroelectric plant on 4 mile level of Georgetown

  • George Washington's Patowmack Canal, used as a feeder, goes to the left, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal goes to the right.

  • Lock 6. Groundbreaking was near this spot

  • Historical 9 Mile Marker, by Lock 11 (7 Locks).

  • This spot here was called the "Log Wall": builders put a log wall here, filled with rubble, to make the canal. Hurricane Agnes washed it out completely in 1972, and the NPS put this retaining wall (without logs).

  • Kayak lessons at Widewater (near Anglers Inn, below Lock 15).

  • Widewater in winter

  • Lock 15 at the end of Widewater

  • Cliff face at the Billy Goat Trail in Maryland

  • Great Falls Tavern on the C&O canal in Potomac, Maryland

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    Canal Clipper boat (since retired) at Lock 20

  • Snubbing Charles F. Mercer at Lock #20.

  • Canal at Swain's Lock

  • 17 Mile marker, with broken historic mile marker (to left)

  • 22 Mile marker, just before Violette's lock and the Seneca Feeder

  • Horsepen Branch Hiker/Biker campsite.

  • Chisel Branch Hiker/Biker campsite sign.

  • Turtle Run Hiker/Biker campsite, below White's Ferry

  • Canal prism by White's Ferry. Note ruins of abandoned grainery on left.

  • A typical Hiker/Biker campsite along the Canal. This one is the Marble Quarry Campsite, near mile 38, below Lock 26.

  • Ruins of an abandoned granary, below the Monocacy Aqueduct.

  • Indian Flats Hiker/Biker campsite, just above the Monocacy Aqueduct

  • The Patowmack Canal's House Falls canal here was reused for the C & O.

  • Mowing the grass along the canal, near Guard Lock #3

  • Big Slackwater. Here the boats navigated in the slackwater behind Dam #4, hence there is only a towpath. It was repaired and reopened in 2012.

  • McMahon's mill, along Big Slackwater on the Canal.

  • More Big Slackwater, above McMahon's mill.

  • Lift bridge (abandoned) for Railroad crossing canal.

  • Cushwa Basin and Visitor Center at Williamsport, Maryland

  • Dam #5, which makes Little Slackwater.

  • Little Slackwater, above Dam #5.

  • Lock 49 at Four Locks.

  • Lockkeeper's shanty, to look out for boats. Lock 50, and lock 49 and 48 in the background. This is at the Four Locks area.

  • Beginning of the 14 mile level just above Lock 50. This is the longest level on the canal.

  • Big pool on the 14 mile level.

  • Park Service maintenance area for the Allegheny Division/Four Locks Subdivision of the Canal

  • Tonoloway Creek aqueduct

  • The canal at Hancock, Maryland

  • Paw Paw Tunnel near Paw Paw, West Virginia

  • Division superintendent's house, about half a mile above the tunnel

  • Maryland Route 51 crosses the canal about 0.6 miles above the tunnel, on the 8 mile level.

  • Lock 69 pool at Oldtown, Maryland

  • Lock 69 at Oldtown, Maryland

  • Looking downstream at Spring gap, canal towpath and prism to the left of it. (Right is the Spring Gap campground)

  • Dilapidated Canal prism at Spring Gap (to the left of the last photo)

  • Lock 74, with Lock 73 in background.

  • Lock 75, the last lock on the Canal before Cumberland.

  • Canal just above lock 75 on 9 mile level at 176 mile mark.

  • One of the various culverts (No. 239) on the 9 mile level.

  • Canal around the 184 mile mark looking downstream. Potomac River is on the right side.

  • Evitts Creek Aqueduct, the last one.

  • The basin at Cumberland, looking downstream towards Georgetown, 184.5 miles away.

  • Cumberland Basin looking North.jpg

    Looking at the end of the canal. Guard lock #8 is on the left side at the end. Highway bridge in background is I-68.

  • Looking at Guard lock #8 today. Red brick building behind highway is the Canal Place museum and Western Maryland Railroad Station.

  • Remains of Dam No. 8 (stone abutment in middle of photo), and view of where canal enters Potomac River / Wills Creek. Guard Lock No. 8 is under the railroad, where railing is seen to the right of the track.

  • Guard lock No. 8, which was actually two locks. Downstream lock is filled in. Upstream lock has a water pump to supply water to the basin.

  • 184.5 Mile marker at end of canal. Note Guard Lock 8 in the background.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Hahn, Pathway. 257
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. p. ix. Davies does not indicate if this tunnel was ever used, nor its location.
  7. ↑ Davies, p. ix
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Shaffer p. 71
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Shaffer, p. 70
  14. ↑ Shaffer p. 73
  15. ↑ Shaffer p. 76
  16. ↑ Shaffer p. 78
  17. ↑ Shaffer p. 79
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Act, Pub.L. 91–664, January 8, 1971.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Kelly, John. "Answer Man: A Gate to Summers Past." The Washington Post. December 13, 2004.
  27. ↑ Moeller, Gerard Martin and Weeks, Christopher. AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C. 4th ed. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-8018-8468-3
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. p. 24

External links

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