By Ranger Lisa
I was surprised and delighted to find exposed rock in the structure of aqueducts when I moved to the C&O Canal in Maryland. The eleven aqueducts along the C&O Canal are made from different stone - red sandstone, gray limestone, white granite, white and pink quartzite - each reflecting light differently.
The Monocacy Aqueduct, with its seven arches spanning 516 feet, is the largest aqueduct and one of my favorites. The white stones, cut with large saws, were brought from a nearby quarry. They were painstakingly hand-shaped by masons then carefully placed together to build this impressive structure. The engineers who designed them chose to make the aqueducts decorative and with great care, as opposed to leaving them with a more utilitarian look.
Standing on top of the Monocacy Aqueduct, looking at early morning fog rolling off the Potomac, I imagine a canal boat coming upon this aqueduct in the 'middle of nowhere'. How magnificent to look upon this 'Work of Art'. Morning brings a quiet grayish white, turning to a harsh white by mid-afternoon, and changing to a soft gold with hints of magenta at sunset. Each time of day sets a different mood.
The next time you visit the Monocacy Aqueduct take the time to observe this work of art, take in its beauty and grandeur, and study the changing colors of light reflecting off its stones.
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Photograph this magnificent structure, or walk across for views of the Potomac and Monocacy Rivers. Look carefully at the stone at either end of the aqueduct, it's pink. A turning basin was built ju... Read More
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In September 1862, Thomas Walker, the lock tender at this lock, learned that Confederate troops under General A. P. Hill intended to blow up the Monocacy Aqueduct. He pleaded with General Hill not t... Read More
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Most of the stone used to build the Monocacy Aqueduct was quarried here. Drive to various lookouts, or hike one of the trails on the mountain.
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Only 10 miles from the largest aqueduct on the canal, the Broad Run Trunk was the smallest aqueduct on the canal. Instead of being built of stone, it was built of wood. You can see the remains of t... Read More
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Edwards Ferry was the scene of much activity during the Civil War. The C&O Canal Trust and the National Park Service will soon be adding Lockhouse 25 as a Canal Quarters lockhouse, with a 'Civil War... Read More
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Just upstream of the Monocacy Aqueduct, this Hiker Biker campsite offers free camping, first come first served. Sites include a fire ring, portable toilet, picnic table, and water pump (summer only).
