Historic Structures in the C&O Canal National Historical Park

Within the park can be found over 1,300 historic structures in various states of repair, ranging from sublime to ordinary and from elaborate to rustic. Floods, neglect, and even looting have taken their toll over the years. Even so, fully five percent of all historic structures within the entire National Park System are located in the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP). As well as having the second most historic structures overall.

Photo Credits (Left to right): Ken Myers (photos 1&2), Nancy Mitchell, Roy Sewall, Alissa Rosenstein

Williamsport gives an excellent snapshot of historic structures that remain on the C&O Canal. Canal-centric structures include the Conococheague Aqueduct, Lock 44, and its accompanying Lockhouse. Commerce-focused structures include the Cushwa Coal and Brick warehouse, the Trolley Barn Power Station, and the Railroad Lift Bridge. These features allowed Williamsport’s economy to blossom and be a truly remarkable example of a canal town. Williamsport also features a “Bollman Bridge” built in 1879. These bridges are considered to be quite the 19th century engineering feat.

Lockhouses

Photo by Vinod Thomas

Lockhouses acted as living quarters for the Lockkeepers/Locktenders. They operated the locks for ships passing through, often tending to more than one lock.

Locks

Photo by Francis Grant-Suttie

Locks were used as elevators of sorts to allow the shipment of goods despite changes in elevation. By flooding or draining the lock while the boat was inside you could raise or lower the elevation.

Culverts

Photo by Paul Graunke

Culverts were used to divert water to preserve the integrity of the Towpath. These also helped to prevent the canal from flooding.

Aqueducts

Photo by Chris Norris

Aqueducts act as a water bridge, for the C&O this often meant connecting two sections of the canal wither over land or over a larger body of water, namely the Potomac River.

Tunnel

Photo by Keri Rice

The Paw Paw Tunnel is the only tunnel on the C&O Canal. It is considered the most significant engineering feat on the C&O Canal, spanning over 3 thousand feet in length. This man-made marvel is a unique feature within the C&O Canal.

Weirs

Photo by Jon Wolz

Weirs altered the flow of water and helped maintain the water level of the canal.

Bridges

Photo by Rob Rosenthal

Bridges allowed dry transportation over the Canal. Within the C&O this includes pedestrian, automotive, and railroad bridges.

Feeder Dams

Photo by Nanette Nyce

The feeder dams provide water to the canal. They also energize the water and keep it moving at roughly 2 miles per hour.

The Towpath

The C&O Canal Towpath is the 184.5 mile path by which the mules would tow the boats. Hence the name tow-path. Now a place of recreation it was once an important trade route for goods like coal, lumber and agricultural products.

Due to its high foot traffic and natural weathering the Towpath is in need of repairs to keep it a safe and accessible recreation destination. Which is why one of our main funding priorities is Towpath Forever. A program to encourage philanthropy and volunteerism to aid in the preservation and reparation of the towpath and the structures along it. While engaging potential stewards through educational programming. This program is paramount to creating a safe, accessible recreational experience for all park visitors and preserving the natural and cultural resources found within the park.

Canal Quarters

Canal Quarters is a unique experience in which guests can reserve their stay in history. With the choice of 7 historic Lockhouses to stay in, each house is decorated to evoke a different time period. Canal Quarters provides a uniquely immersive experience. To help get your imagination flowing the lockhouses contain historic pictures of the Lockhouses as well as the surrounding area, News clippings specific to each area, and a new addition of some old-timey games to play during your stay.

Our Canal Quarters program is an excellent example of people saving places. The proceeds from Canal Quarters registrations support the ongoing efforts of the C&O Canal Trust to protect, restore, and promote the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The lockhouses in the program are overseen and maintained by volunteer Quartermasters for the use and enjoyment of park visitors.

History of the C&O Canal

The C&O Canal began as an idea to use the river as a transportation system to connect the resource rich Allegheny mountains to the Chesapeake Bay. This project, led by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and the Potowmack Company, sought to create skirting canals to bypass the tough waters of the Potomac River. In 1802 the construction of these was completed with the opening of the locks at Great Falls. Over a decade later came the formation of the C&O Canal Company, which sought to create a continuous canal along the Potomac River. Once approved the canal’s construction began in 1828.

The C&O Canal project was completed in 1850. Sadly this was several years after the B&O Railroad had been completed. Due to this the type of goods transported were relegated to larger, bulk commodities such as lumber, wheat, and coal. The canal faced many problems, most notably with flooding. In 1924, a flood caused irreparable damage, leading to the closure of the canal.

Sometime later, there were proposals of what to do with the now noin-functioning C&O Canal. One was to build dams and flood much of the canal, towpath, and surrounding areas, including many historic structures. The other was to turn the area into a parkway, this plan was endorsed by The Washington Post. It was Justice William O Douglas who saved the canal by way of a historic walk of the entire length of the Towpath with 9 of the Washinton Post editors. Then, in 1971, President Nixon designated the C&O Canal as a National Historical Park, protecting the history and natural resources preserved within!

Header image courtesy of the NPS