Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!
Canal Community Story: Tamika Graham
We’re bringing back our TowpathGO 5K, and this spring it’s coming to Williamsport! Join us May 6 for Racin’ the Basin. The 5K will start at 7 a.m. at Cushwa Basin, prior to our Canal Community Days cleanup.
Photo by Paul Graunke
If you love the C&O Canal National Historical Park and enjoy recreating in the Park, we’ve got a great way for you to combine your passions and support the Park! Sign up for TowpathGO and rally support from your friends and family for this unique peer-to-peer fundraising challenge. Join us for this year’s TowpathGO!
Congratulations to Brian Rimm on his winning design for this year’s Canal Community Days Logo Contest! We received a record number of design entries from more than 20 different artists, and are grateful to everyone in our Canal Community who took the time to enter. We hope to see you at our volunteer events this spring wearing this great design!
Get to know the new C&O Canal Trust President and CEO Lauren Riviello! Lauren is no stranger to the Trust; she’s been the director of development for two years, and her connection to the Park dates back to her childhood in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. We asked her a few questions as she steps into her new role with the Trust. Read More
As spring has officially sprung, we here at the Trust can only hope for more consistent weather. And while there’s probably still a bit more cold weather to come, the next few weeks look like they could be the true beginning of warm weather for the Canal.
In honor of spring (slowly) coming to the area, we at the Trust have compiled a list of things we love about spring on the Canal. Read More
Bloodroot photo by Trust Staff
Native plants are an essential part of the ecosystem in the C&O Canal National Historcal Park (NHP), which is one of the most biologically diverse parks in the National Park system, especially in regard to plant species. The Park has recorded over 1,500 species of vascular plants, including over 260 non-native plant species, and more than 200 rare, threatened, and endangered (RTE) plants. The number of rare plants is one of the highest concentrations of state-listed rare plants in the eastern United States.
The Potomac River creates a mosaic of different natural habitats throughout the C&O Canal NHP. Native plants are the backbone of natural habitats and play a critical role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. They have evolved over thousands of years, adapting to the local climate, soil, and other environmental factors.
Here are some reasons why native plants are crucial for our environment:
- Native plants provide habitat and food for wildlife. They are the primary source of food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife species, including birds, insects, mammals, and reptiles. These plants provide essential nutrients and shelter for animals, including food for larvae and insects that pollinate flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
- Native plants support biodiversity. They play a vital role in supporting biodiversity. They provide food and shelter for insects, which, in turn, support other animals and plant species. Native plants also help to prevent soil erosion and maintain the balance of the ecosystem.
- Native plants are adapted to local conditions. They are acclimated to the local climate and soil, which makes them more resilient and better able to withstand drought, floods, and other environmental stresses. This means they require less maintenance and water, making them an excellent choice for homeowners and gardeners.
- Native plants improve soil health. They have deep root systems that help to improve soil health by increasing soil organic matter and reducing erosion. This means that they can help to prevent nutrient runoff and protect water quality.
- Native plants have cultural significance. They have been used for centuries by indigenous communities for medicinal, food, and spiritual purposes. By preserving native plant species, we can help to protect and celebrate cultural heritage.
Rockcress Photo by Trust Staff
Native plants are an essential component of our natural environment. They play a vital role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem in the C&O Canal NHP, at our homes, in our communities, and beyond. By promoting the use of native plants in landscaping and gardening, we can help to protect and preserve our natural environment for future generations.
Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!
Canal Community Story: Don Ramsey
Photo by Anupah Shah
Don Ramsey is a dedicated C&O Canal Trust volunteer. Whether leading volunteer groups doing projects in the Park for Canal Community Days events or helping with our largest annual fundraiser Park After Dark, Don is always willing to roll up his sleeves and lend a helping hand.
During his childhood, Don’s family would go for picnics at various C&O Canal National Historical Park locations. In his teen and young adult years, he would adventure with friends to camp, bike, ice skate, hike, and canoe in the Park. Don remembers his longest bike ride with friends on the canal from Washington, D.C., to Harpers Ferry. “We had a breakdown of one of the bikes,” he recalls, “and after miles of taking turns riding and walking, we stopped at Brunswick and camped—so close, yet so far! Luckily, we were able to get dinner from Mackie machines at the YMCA at midnight.”
Photo by Turner Photography Studio
Don also had a memorable adventure by boat. “Can’t forget the rowboat overnighter from Fletchers,” he says. “Three of us left at dusk and rowed for a couple of hours upstream until we were too tired to row anymore, so we found a small area on the Virginia side to camp. When we woke up the next morning, we could still see Fletchers,” Don says, laughing.
Later in life, when Don had his own family, he took his young children on occasional picnics, small hikes, and canoe rides while visiting the Park. When his oldest son was in scouts, he became a scoutmaster and took scouts on hikes and a 50-miler bike campout along the canal. They also did canal cleanups after significant flood events. Don remembers one Whites Ferry cleanup organized by the Boy Scouts of America. “What a mess that was—but we had a great time doing it!”
Photo by Turner Photography Studio
When his kids grew up and moved out, Don organized a few bike rides in the Paw Paw Tunnel area for family, friends, and coworkers. Then he discovered a volunteer opportunity in the Park. “I first got involved with a Clark Construction event at Harpers Ferry doing a cleanup and removing invasive plants,” Don says. “I’m not sure what year that was, but I was hooked and have been there whenever possible to join in on the fun!”
Don’s dedication to volunteering in his community extends far beyond the C&O Canal Trust. He volunteers for the Prince George’s County County Christmas in April program throughout the year and with the District of Columbia Building Industry Association’s yearly massive volunteer project sprucing up Washington, D.C., recreational areas. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Don logged as many as 300+ hours of volunteer service a year.
Don is a regular Volunteer Project Leader (VPL) when the Trust has Canal Community Days events throughout the Park. He leads groups of volunteers tasked with various Park beautification projects with a smile and a passion for making the Park a better place for everyone. Don is welcoming to all, especially young people who want to try their hands at volunteer service. “Working with others and teaching the younger generation about the importance of doing good things for our national parks and others will help the environment, which helps the people and animals in the long run,” he says.
Photo by Trust Staff
Don’s favorite places in the C&O Canal NHP include Great Falls, the Paw Paw Tunnel, and the Harpers Ferry area. “Those are the places I suggest to people at work or elsewhere to get them interested in visiting the Park,” he says. Though he spends less time recreating in the Park these days than volunteering, it’s still very near and dear to Don’s heart, and he enjoys giving back to it. “Helping others makes me feel good,” Don says, “and doing this work along the C&O Canal is especially nice as not only do I get to visit such a wonderful place, but I can leave it in better condition than when I arrive!”
Photo by Roy Sewall
Roy Sewall, a founding leader of the C&O Canal Trust and a masterful photographer, passed away on January 17, 2023. Most people in our canal community are familiar with Roy through his beautiful photographs, shared widely by the Trust over the past 15 years.
“I became a serious photographer in 2001,” Roy wrote on his website, www.roysewallphotography.com. “I started with the Potomac River and the C&O Canal, and they were the subjects of my two books in 2005 and 2009. This area became a part of me forever.”
Not everyone knows that Roy was the first chairman of the Trust Board of Directors, serving the organization from 2007 to 2010. “He was the person I relied on the most when we were launching the Trust,” said Matt Logan, former president of the Trust. “He was the perfect partner.”
Roy shared many of his photographs with the C&O Canal Trust. They capture the beautiful scenery along the C&O Canal and our unique Canal Quarters program. “A Sewall photograph was distinct and perfectly taken,” said Francis Grant-Suttie, vice chairman of the Trust’s Board of Directors, who was fortunate to study photography with Roy.
We aspire to Roy’s high standards as an organization and as canal enthusiasts. Roy’s love for the C&O Canal will live on through the images he captured over the years. His family remains in our thoughts. You can read his obituary here.
Photo by Roy Sewall
Take a walk on the C&O Canal towpath in the spring or summer and you’re likely to spot turtles sunning themselves on logs in the canal or perhaps along the towpath. Have you ever wondered where those turtles go during the winter months?
Photo by Jan Branscome
Turtles brumate during the winter, similar to hibernation in mammals. Brumation is a semi-dormant winter cool-down that allows turtles to survive when food is scarce and temperatures are much colder. During brumation, turtles can still move but they live off of stored fat and their metabolism slows.
The canal is home to three different types and several species of turtles: the Eastern Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina), Basking Turtles, and the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina).
Photo by Paul Graunke
Eastern snapping turtles are a common find throughout the C&O Canal. As their name suggests, these omnivores have long necks, quick reactions, and are aggressive on land. These large reptiles are almost exclusively aquatic: they occupy the canal and the Potomac River except for land travel during the spring and early summer for mating and nesting. Females lay an average of 50 eggs between April and November. Snapping turtles can be identified by their flat oval brown shell, wide flat heads, bulky limbs, and long alligator-like tail. They weigh between 10 and 35 pounds and are the largest freshwater turtle in Maryland. Eastern snapping turtles dive down to the muddy bottom of the canal and the Potomac River in the winter, remaining alert to light and temperature.
Photo by Jan Branscome
Basking turtles are a frequent sight throughout the canal and in slow-moving or still portions of the river where they can be viewed swimming and sunning themselves on logs or rocks. These turtles rarely ever leave the water except for nesting in the spring and early summer. Eastern Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta picta) can be identified by their olive-brown to black shells with red markings on the edge, yellow spots on either side of their black head, yellow stripes along the jaw and through the eyes, and yellow or orange belly. These omnivores are just 4.5 to 6 inches long.
Similar species include the non-native Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), and native Northern Red-Bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris) which are both slightly larger than Painted Turtles. The presence of a red oval-shaped marking behind the eye helps identify Red Eared Sliders from the narrower yellow lines on the Red-Bellied Cooter’s head. Red Eared Sliders are omnivores and are typically 8 to 13 inches long. Red-Bellied Cooter’s are omnivores as juveniles and herbivores as adults, growing 10 to 12.5 inches in length. All basking turtles stay buried in the mud beneath the water during the winter months, occasionally rising to the surface for food or air.
Photo by Garner Woodall
Eastern box turtles are the most terrestrial turtle native to the C&O Canal. They are named for their boxy, high-domed shell and they have the ability to close up their body using a hinge on the shell’s underside. These omnivores can be found throughout the Park, in both forested and open habitats. Like all other turtle species in the C&O Canal, they are most active in the spring and early summer. Box turtles are usually dark brown with gold or orange blotched patterns on the shell, orange scales on the head, neck, and front limbs, and have brown or red eyes, which differ based on the sex of the turtle (typically red for males, yellow-brown for females). They grow to be 4.5 to 6 inches in length, burrowing deep under the soil and leaves to brumate during the winter months.
Lauren Riviello by Trust Staff
Williamsport, Md. – The C&O Canal Trust’s board of directors is pleased to announce it has named Lauren Riviello as its new president and CEO. Riviello has more than a decade of nonprofit leadership experience and is deeply passionate about the Trust and its mission. She has served as the Trust’s director of development since February 2021 and will assume the role of president and CEO on April 1, 2023. Read More
In 2022, we received many wonderful photo contest entries. From iconic nature pictures to mesmerizing sunsets to beautiful day trips along the towpath, our community of canal enthusiasts shares gorgeous highlights of the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
These are your favorite photos—our monthly photo contest winners! Check them out below and reminisce with us about 2022.
Submit your photos of the Park to be considered for our monthly photo contest here.
Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!
Canal Community Story: Charissa Hipp, C&O Canal Trust Director of Marketing & Communications
In 2016 I began spending a lot of time in the C&O Canal National Historical Park, often with my youngest of three children in a jogging stroller. At first, our excursions were a way to get outside for exercise and fresh air, but they soon evolved into something special. The more time we spent in the Park, the more we wanted to be outdoors and immersed in nature. We needed nature in our lives and spending time outdoors became our special time together.
My daughter and I started piecing together sections of the towpath in Washington County and soaking in the natural beauty of our surroundings throughout the year. As she grew into toddlerhood and became more alert, we really started enjoying wildlife—from deer to woodpeckers, great blue herons, barred owls, turkeys, butterflies, turtles, snakes, a bear, and even a fisher cat. We’ve had many memorable wildlife sightings.
When my daughter started walking and talking, our canal adventures continued, often with her hiking alongside me. She began asking many questions about plants, and we consulted the iNaturalist app after each outing, armed with photos of things we had seen. Eventually, we started to recognize specific vegetation. And now, every springtime, we look forward to the Virginia bluebells, bloodroots, Dutchman’s breeches, trillium, and the emergence of other spring ephemerals signaling that warmer weather is on the horizon.
As I reflect on our time in the Park, I’m flooded with memories of the special moments we have shared on the towpath. Whether it’s crunching through fall leaves, standing still like a statue to quietly watch a great blue heron, soaking in the warm sunshine as it sets in a pink cotton candy sky, or trudging through the snow and breathing in the cold winter air, our time on the towpath has been intertwined with unforgettable moments. I’ll never forget witnessing a hummingbird swoop in to enjoy some nectar along bluebell alley or watching a large group of swallowtail butterflies encircle my daughter’s stroller like something from an enchanted forest in a Disney movie.
Last year on New Year’s Eve, my daughter and I hiked from Weverton to Harpers Ferry and back. I was tired from holiday preparations and festivities, and as soon as we got on the towpath, my six-year-old daughter’s words completely shifted my outlook. “Look, mama, see how beautiful the bare sycamore trees are along the river with their white tips,” she pointed out. Without taking a breath, she continued, “Look, there’s perilla, and over here is some moss growing on a log. This is going to be a great day!” She was right because we’ve never been out in the Park and wished we had stayed home instead. Every day on the C&O Canal has been a day well-spent, enjoying and appreciating nature together. I hope she sees the importance of protecting and preserving this place so future generations can marvel at its beauty and wonder.
Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!
Canal Community Story: Joseph and Susan Adams Regalbuto
Who would have expected to see Siberian Husky dog teams racing by, or wild turkey footprints in the snow, or cascading waterfalls frozen in ice? Winter walking on the C&O reveals many surprises.
With appreciation for William O Douglas’ vision of preserving the towpath and Thomas F. Hahn’s remarkable Towpath Guide to the C&O Canal, we ventured out to section walk the 184.5 mile length of the C&O Canal in both directions. The total mileage would have been 369 but we couldn’t resist adding a few more miles to explore side trips. Since we’re both retired and in our 70s it seemed like the perfect time to explore this historical gem.
Starting on the first day of winter in 2020, we averaged around 13 miles each day, 6 – 7 miles in each direction, returning to our car and driving home to Burke, Virginia, or to a hotel in Cumberland, Maryland, for the night. Two very special nights were spent in a lockhouse, where we set off on our walks from the lockhouse front door. The adventure lasted for 29 days of walking in an out-and-back pattern, usually walking twice a week, and visiting all 74 locks.
Although we were familiar with the lush greenery of the Canal towpath in three seasons, we had never seen the canal in the winter, without leaves blocking the views of Potomac River and the distant hills of West Virginia. Stone foundations hidden behind thick growth in other seasons now basked in the sun. The outdoor historical museum known as the C&O Canal was visible in all its winter glory.
Leaving behind the bustle of Georgetown, (Mile 0) we headed upriver on our journey through history, stopping at every lock and lockhouse to read the descriptions and marvel at the engineering.
The powerful roar of Great Falls (Mile 14) made it clear why six locks were needed within one mile – so canal boats could bypass the dangerous drop in elevation. Further upriver Edwards Ferry parking lot (Mile 30) was flooded with icy water; frozen puddles glistened on the towpath.
The Monocacy Aqueduct (Mile 42) is described as one of the most beautiful structures on the canal, with seven arches of pink quartz sandstone. Amazingly, this 1833 aqueduct is still standing after nearly 200 years of hurricanes and floods. We tried to visualize the aqueducts filled with water, allowing the canal to cross over rivers. Many of the C&O’s eleven aqueducts served as scenic spots for our lunch stops.
Near Brunswick (Mile 52) an old stone bridge over a culvert had collapsed and the towpath ended in a chasm. National Park Rangers constructed a temporary low wooden bridge, and we were relieved to find a way to continue our trek. The low bridge allowed us to view a culvert from below instead of walking over it. Hahn’s guidebook lists 241 C&O culverts, built so that streams could cross under the towpath. Some of the culverts are beautiful works of art, often missed by those treading on top of them.
Lots of caves in limestone cliffs appeared on this winter walk, no longer hiding behind deciduous trees. We explored several of the lower caves near Ferry Hill (Mile 72), walking upright for 30 feet into one of them. In another cave we saw hundreds of tiny stalactites forming on the walls and ceiling. The caves had the good earth smell of a newly tilled garden after a rain. High on the cliffs, cascading streams were now beautiful frozen waterfalls. This was a cold, windy day but because the river took two huge S turns, we never faced into the wind for long. A red fox with a bright white tail tip scampered across the trail in front of us, apparently oblivious to wind and cold.
We heard a new sound at Mile 84 – the thundering roar of water surging over a dam. As we rounded the bend, Dam 4 and the giant lake it formed came into view. The canal disappeared at this section, because canal boats could easily navigate the still water of this “slackwater” lake.
At McMahon’s Mill (Mile 88) the parking lot was so icy and that we used trekking poles and moved gingerly. The towpath itself offered safer walking, although with 5” of new snow, the progress was slow. Fresh tracks of deer, racoons, and smaller animals crossed our path. We were initially baffled by fairly large three-toed tracks that turned out to be wild turkey tracks. The towpath in this section came within yards of the Potomac River and steep cliffs came right down to the towpath. At times the river curved so sharply that we saw rope burns carved into the limestone cliffs, from the mules pulling the canal boats around the bend. At Milepost 92.25 we celebrated the snowy half-way point of our adventure.
In late February of 2021 our walks were abruptly halted by two weeks of ice and snow. We optimistically drove to Williamsport (Mile 99) to continue on our route, but the trail was too icy for safe walking, even with trekking poles. The snow and ice were followed by a weekend of rain, and the Potomac flooded over its banks. On our next walk we watched entire trees hurtling downstream, and small “islands” of tangled bushes and chunks of land careening down the river. By the end of our day’s walk the river had risen to within a few feet of the towpath. We later learned that downriver, at mile 89, the towpath was impassable due to the high water.
We were impressed by the remarkably good condition of Williamsport’s Lock 44 and its lockhouse. We also examined the Conococheague Aqueduct, several weirs and a railroad lift bridge. The weirs are stone water chambers built beside locks to direct water away from the canal during high-water periods. The railroad lift bridge allows canal boats to pass beneath the movable tracks. This half-mile stretch includes more canal structures than anywhere else on the towpath. We tried to imagine towns like Williamsport at the height of the bustling canal activity as goods traveled downriver on the canal. In an interesting side note, Hahn adds that Williamsport was the capitol of the United States for 24 hours during the Revolutionary War!
In the Four Locks section (Mile 108) it was humbling to stand on the towpath looking upstream at Locks 47, 48, 49 and 50 and marvel at their construction and their endurance through all the years of floods. At the old mule barn, where mules lodged for the winter, we learned that mules were a cross between female horses (for their size and temperament) and male donkeys (for their strength and endurance – and their ears!) We also saw the tiny wait house at Lock 50 where lockkeepers could take refuge during storms.
We stepped back in time to the late 1800s as we entered our lodging at Lockhouse 49. Squeaky timbered floors were covered with colorful braided rugs. Comfortable old rocking chairs and beautiful wooden tables also welcomed us. There was no running water for faucets, showers, or toilets, but we knew this in advance and we didn’t mind the walks to the outhouse. The lockhouse logbook was filled with impressions from both the young and old, from East Coast to West Coast. It also warned us of mice activity, so we gratefully returned all our food to the car! We would have gladly extended our stay in this peaceful place, but the towpath beckoned.
We trekked beside a very long lake aptly named Big Pool (Mile 112). It was at least 1½ miles long but it seemed longer with all the tiny flies that attached themselves to our pants, shirts, packs and shoes. As soon as we reached the end of the lake the flies miraculously disappeared. We met two other walkers on this section and their only comment was – “wow, some flies!”
At Mile 118 two beaver dams and two beaver lodges were clearly visible, with much evidence of saplings gnawed by beavers. Little beaver or muskrat trails led from the canal across the towpath to food sources in the field beyond.
At Hancock (Mile 124) we were greeted with a clear, sunny sky and a warm breeze. What a change from the snowy days when the temperature dropped into the 20s! During our walks we chose the most scenic spots we could find for lunch – beside an aqueduct, on the front step of a lockhouse, at the picnic table of a campground. On this day we sat on a log on a rise overlooking the Potomac River. We lingered over lunch in the sun, with expansive views of the West Virginia shoreline. Hancock is the most northern point of the canal and is only 1.7 miles from the Pennsylvania border. On our next day’s walk, we’ll be heading southwest. We now understand why the words “upriver” and “downriver” are used instead of “north” and “south” – because the Potomac River carves deep bends in all four compass directions.
To preserve six bat species living in Indigo Tunnel (Little Orleans, Mile 140), the Western Maryland Rail Trail detours onto the towpath for two miles. We walked up to look at the tunnel that was blasted through Germany Hill. Although we didn’t see any bats, we did see the bat gate that was erected at each end of the tunnel to allow bats to enter but to keep larger critters out.
The biggest challenge of the trip was the drive to the parking area of Bond’s Landing (Mile 150). After 30 minutes of negotiating rocks and water on a steep pothole-filled dirt road, we came to a rocky stream that was too deep to cross. Well out of cellphone range, we decided the safest route was to leave the car on Kasecamp Road and walk the remaining 1½ miles through streams and rocky hills. Apparently, we needed a four-wheel drive and not our little Toyota Prius. It took us three hours from our house to reach the towpath. To eliminate long driving distances for the last sections of the walk, we decided to spend the final three nights in Cumberland. The Fairfield Inn and Suites, located literally at the end of the towpath, became our new base camp.
What a fun section of strangely numbered locks – 62, 63 1/3, 64 2/3, and 66 – all within a half mile (Mile 154). The upriver end of the canal, with Locks 67-75, was built before this section; the numbers 62-66 were reserved for five locks in this area. However, to save money, Lock 65 was eliminated. The numbers saved for the five locks were then evenly divided between four locks, resulting in the fractions. Therefore, there are only 74 locks on the canal but the furthest upriver lock is named Lock 75!
We saw very few fellow walkers through the winter months, but we did meet three distance walkers pushing “Chariots,” much like Baby Joggers loaded with gear. They were walking across the country from Delaware to California on the American Discovery Trail. We later learned that they successfully reached their destination – the Pacific Ocean.
We were excited to walk through PawPaw Tunnel (Mile 155), one of the greatest engineering feats of the mid-1800s. It took fourteen years to complete the tunnel, drilling through almost ¾ miles of solid rock. The sound of water dripping, falling, and flowing; the sight of light at the end of the tunnel growing larger and larger; the smell of wet dirt and tiny little mushrooms on the walls – these were totally different sensory experiences for us. With our headlamps we searched in vain for bats hanging from the six million bricks that lined the tunnel.
Just for fun, we walked across the Oldtown toll bridge (Mile 166) to eat lunch sitting on a stone wall in Greenspring, West Virginia. This low wooden bridge, the shortest bridge crossing of the Potomac River, is one of the very few private toll bridges in the country. Charge for cars: $ 1.50. When we asked the woman in the toll booth if there was a charge for walkers, she replied, “Free as you go.”
The next day was filled with sights and smells: eight deer, three horses, dozens of cows – some with calves too young to leave their mother’s side – countless turtles, a rabbit, and lots of farm scents! We detoured to a little gated cemetery maintained by the Cumberland Historical Cemetery Organization. The Organization’s President, who was changing flags on the flagpole, proudly gave us a tour of the Pollack family gravesites.
A cacophony of sounds suddenly exploded from the trees and we searched for tiny birds hidden among the branches. Instead, the noise heralded the 17-year return of the cicadas. Croaking frogs and screeching Pileated Woodpeckers added their own sounds to the buzzing cicadas. The earth smell gave way to a vegetation smell and green buds appeared on the trees. Soon the expansive view of the Potomac River and the far shoreline will be hidden again behind foliage.
The view coming into Cumberland (Mile 184.5) was a memorable sight, with church steeples in the near distance and blue hills in the far distance. To commemorate the completion of our walk, we raised a toast of Paw Paw lemonade bottled in Cumberland, as we reminisced about our very special winter walk through history.
Walk Maryland Day by Charissa Hipp
Wednesday, October 5 is the 8th annual Walk Maryland Day. Members of the C&O Canal Trust staff will be hosting walks throughout the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP) during the day. The public is invited to attend these walks and participate in Walk Maryland Day, a celebration of Maryland’s official state exercise. With 347 miles of trails in the park, the C&O Canal NHP is the ideal place to enjoy the outdoors and take a walk.
- 10:00 a.m. – Point of Rocks, 2 miles round trip
- 11:00 a.m. – Billy Goat C Trail, 2.8 miles round trip
- 5:00 p.m. – Brunswick Boat Ramp, 2 miles round trip
- 5:30 p.m. – Cushwa Basin at Williamsport, 3 miles round trip
- 5:30 p.m. – Little Tonoloway at Hancock, 2.7 miles round trip
- 6:00 p.m. – Railroad Bridge Bridge Parking on Canal Rd. at Sharpsburg/Shepherdstown, 2-3 miles round trip
- 6:00 p.m. – Dam 5, 2-3 miles round trip
Participants are encouraged to register as a Sole Mate on the Walk Maryland Day website.
‘Sky Fire’ at Dam 5 by Margaret J Clingan
The C&O Canal National Historical Park is 184.5 miles long — that’s a lot of ground to cover! This itinerary will help you hit the highlights. Explore, learn the history of the canal, enjoy the stories our Park Rangers most love to share, and deepen your appreciation and understanding of one of America’s great historical parks.
You can also copy this itinerary into our C&O Canal Itinerary Builder here.
East: DC to Brunswick
Mile Marker 0.0 Tide Lock
The Georgetown Tide Lock is the zero milestone terminus on the C&O Canal, and all measurements on the canal were calculated from this point; however, the construction of the canal did not begin here.
Mile Marker 0.4 Douglas Bust
Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas played an integral part in saving the canal from being turned into a parkway during the 1950s. His love for the canal led him to challenge editors from The Washington Post to hike the entire 184.5 miles of towpath with him to see why the space should be left untouched. His efforts provided a focal point for media attention and intensified the efforts of conservation groups who sought to preserve the canal. Thanks to his efforts, the National Park Service abandoned the parkway idea.
Mile Marker 1.0 Alexandria Aqueduct
An earlier attempt to relieve the congestion of canal boats unloading cargo in Georgetown, the Potomac Aqueduct allowed canal boats to cross over the Potomac River, connect with the Alexandria Canal, and deliver goods to the wharves at Alexandria, Virginia. This structure was built between 1833 and 1843. Only two of the aqueduct’s abutments and one pier near the Virginia shore remain today.
Mile Marker 2.3 Incline Plane
The Incline Plane was built in 1876 as a way to combat early traffic issues during the heyday of the canal. It lowered boats directly into the Potomac River to avoid boat traffic in Georgetown and delays there. Prior to that, some frustrated boat captains were having to wait two days to get into Georgetown from two miles away because of boat traffic. Since Georgetown was not the final destination for every boat and many just needed to go through Georgetown to access the Potomac River at the tide lock, the incline plane was created to enable boats to bypass Georgetown. A river lock wouldn’t work because the location where the backup occurred was more than 39 feet above the river at low tide. The Potomac Lock and Dock Company proposed the incline plane, which was a caisson into which a boat would float. The boat, encased in the caisson, traveled on the rails of the incline plane from the canal and descended into the river. It was balanced by two counterweights and powered by a turbine supplied with waterpower from the canal. This engineering marvel was the largest of its kind in the world. Unfortunately, it soon became non-essential as transportation on the canal dramatically declined in the following decade. The incline plane was seriously damaged during a flood in 1889 and was never put back into service. Today you can barely make out the incline straight up from the wayside exhibit along the canal.
Mile Marker 3.1 Abner Cloud House and Mill
One of the oldest existing structures on the Canal, the Abner Cloud House dates back to 1801. The site provided grain and excellent quality flour called “Evermay” to Washington, D.C. for nearly 70 years. Only ruins of the mill remain, but the house was restored in the 1970s. Today, the Colonial Dames of America, Chapter III, periodically offers interpretive programs in the house.
Mile Marker 5.4 Lock 6
When you happen upon the lockhouse nestled beside Lock 6, you wouldn’t know that this quaint house along the canal had witnessed so much history. Learn about its past and experience life on the canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 6, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 6 is furnished in the 1950s time period and tells the story of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas’s walk of the entire 184.5-mile long towpath to help save the canal. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 8.8 Lock 10
Many canal stories involve the canal’s continuous reinvention of itself. The area surrounding Lock 10 was brought back to life after multiple floods by two African American Civilian Conservation Corps camps. Lockhouse 10, a part of the Canal Quarters program, tells their story. Like Lockhouse 6, it provides a unique lodging option for your canal visit. It is furnished in the 1930s time period and tells the story of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) efforts to preserve the canal. With a screened-in porch overlooking the canal and full amenities, this lockhouse provides a restful spot to recharge from your canal explorations. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 12.2 Anglers
Located between Billy Goat Trail Sections A and B and just downstream from Widewater is Anglers, one of the most visited sections of the C&O Canal. The natural beauty of Anglers provides the perfect backdrop for walkers, hikers, bikers, kayakers, birders, fishermen, photographers, and painters alike. However, to Canal engineers, Anglers posed a problem: rock. Learn how they have wrestled with the rocky area for over a century. Anglers is now a popular fishing spot.
Mile Marker 12.4 Mather Gorge
Mather Gorge is part of the Potomac Gorge and lies just downstream from Great Falls. Its sheer cliffs provide a mini-canyon for the wild Potomac River. It is a great place to watch the water bounce off the rocks and for sunrises.
Mile Marker 12.9 Widewater
Located between Great Falls and Anglers, Widewater has a natural wildness to it. It is easy to forget that it is man-made. Although it looks more like a lake, Widewater is part of the Potomac River’s historic path. Canal engineers decided to use this river bed as part of the canal to save on the effort of carving through more rock. Most of the canal is only six feet deep and 60 feet wide, but not Widewater. In some places it is around 50 feet deep and almost 500 feet across. On most days, it is quiet and serene. It is a great place to view the sunrise, bird watch, fish or take a flatwater kayaking trip.
Mile Marker 13.8 Stop Gate
Stop gates were constructed along the C&O Canal to protect the canal, its structures, and communities built around the canal from flood waters. This stop gate was originally built in 1852 and reconstructed with a modern winch system by the National Park Service in 2009. Located not far from the Great Falls Visitor Center, the top portion of the stop gate resembles a covered bridge but it’s actually a winch house. It stores a winch and planks of wood, just a little wider than the foundation. When the river floods, the stop gate is deployed to create a temporary dam that protects the canal downstream. The winch is used to lower the planks, one at a time, through the floor and into grooves that have been cut into both sides of the stone foundation. Some water does pass through, but the majority is stopped from rushing downstream into the canal and causing damage. The use of seven stop gates reduced flood damage and prevented additional devastation throughout the canal’s history.
Mile Marker 14.4 Great Falls Area
The Great Falls Area is one of the most popular sections of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, with the Historic Great Falls Tavern as its centerpiece. Once known as the Crommelin House, today, the tavern is a visitor center for the Park, offering visitor services, exhibits, interpretive programs, and more. This grand two-story historic structure, completed in 1829, served a number of purposes through the years as a locktender’s house, a tavern, a hotel, and even a private club. You will also find hiking trails and a canal boat ride (see below) at Great Fall, as well as scenic overlooks with dramatic views of the Potomac River thundering over the rocks.
Mile Marker 14.4 Charles F. Mercer Canal Boat
One of the most authentic experiences available on the C&O Canal is a canal boat ride. Experience life in the 1870s, a history lesson and a unique boat ride that includes a ride through a 19th century lock, complete with canal mules and costumed guides. You’ll get all this and more during an hour-long ride aboard the replica Charles F. Mercer canal boat at the Historic Great Falls Tavern. (Check www.nps.gov/choh for the schedule of boat rides. Rides are closed for 2020 and will resume in 2021.)
Mile Marker 14.4 Gold Mine Trails
During the Civil War, a Union soldier was stationed along the Maryland side of the Potomac River near Great Falls. While cleaning up in a creek, he noticed a glint of gold. After the war, he returned to the area, bought some farm land, and started mining for gold in Montgomery County. Eventually, 30 small mines were opened. One of the largest was the Maryland Mine. Today, a loop trail starting at the Great Falls Tavern Visitors Center will take you up past the mine ruins.
Mile Marker 16.7 Lock 21 Swains
The history of Lock 21 and the Swain family will forever be intertwined. Swain family members can be traced back to the original construction of the Canal, and their tradition of service at this lock house extended through the Canal’s most thriving decades and much of the 20th century. Also a part of the Canal Quarters program, Lockhouse 21 is also known as “Swains Lockhouse” after the family. This lockhouse interprets 1916, the year the National Park Service was formed and the date when the C&O Canal was beginning to transition from a working canal to a recreational space. The lockhouse has been completely modernized with full amenities, including an ADA-accessible bathroom and a Murphy bed on the first floor, ramps into the house, and hallways wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 16.7 Lock 22 Pennyfield
Located at mile 19.63 on the C&O Canal, Pennyfield Lockhouse at lock number 22 is a quiet place of escape for those seeking from the hectic pace of life in Washington, D.C. In the 1870s, then-President Grover Cleveland would regularly visit Pennyfield in order to pursue his favorite hobby of fishing. You can experience life on the canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 22, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 22 is furnished in the 1830s time period, reflecting on the early phase of canal construction and the architectural marvels that were necessary to make it functional. Step back in time and experience life as the lock keepers truly lived. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 22.7 Lock 24 Rileys Lockhouse and Seneca Aqueduct
Seneca Aqueduct and Lock 24 are combined into a single structure here, the only place along the canal that this was necessary. This is one of 11 aqueducts that carried the canal over major tributaries of the Potomac.
Riley’s Lockhouse is very well restored, with one-and-a-half stories over a full basement. Local Girl Scouts dressed in period clothing periodically provide interpretation and guide visitors through the historic home.
Mile Marker 22.8 Seneca Stone Cutting Mill
Seneca Stone Cutting Mill operated from 1837 to the early 1900s, milling stone from Seneca Quarry for many structures on the canal and public buildings in Washington, D.C., including the iconic Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall. The mill’s water wheel, and later a turbine, were powered by water from the canal. Seneca Stone Cutting Mill also cut granite and stone shipped from neighboring quarries. Granite and marble used in the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument were cut here.
Mile Marker 30.9 Lock 25 Edwards Ferry
Activity at Edward’s Ferry began very early in the Civil War with a Union encampment and commissary established here. The area continued to be used by both Union and Confederate troops throughout the war. Today, you can experience life on the Canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 25, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 25 is nestled in the sleepy town of Edwards Ferry and is furnished in the 1860s time period, telling the story of the Civil War’s impact on the Canal. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 30.9 Ruin of Jarboe’s Store
Close to Lock 25 are the brick ruins of Jarboe’s store. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, Eugene E. Jarboe ran a grocery and feed store, while also serving as postmaster at Edward’s Ferry. Gene’s sons, Sam and John, ran the store after their father tragically drowned in the lock while loading cattle. The store closed in 1906, and the NPS re-stabilized the ruins from 2008-2010.
Mile Marker 35.5 White’s Ferry
White’s Ferry is a one-of-a-kind on the Potomac River. Until it closed in 2020, it was the last operating ferry on the river, transporting vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians from Maryland across to the Leesburg area of Virginia. The ferry dates back to the early 1800s and gets its name from former Confederate Lieutenant Colonel Elijah White, who owned a nearby farm and purchased the ferry after the Civil War.
Mile Marker 42.2 Monocacy Aqueduct
The Monocacy Aqueduct is the largest of the canal’s 11 stone aqueducts. It is often considered one of the two finest features of the C&O Canal. It was built from 1829-1833.
Mile Marker 49.0 Lock 28
Lockhouse 28 is the most remote of all the Canal Quarters lockhouses, located nearly a half mile from the nearest parking. This rustic retreat was completed in 1837 and is a reminder of the fierce competitive race between the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the race to reach the Ohio River Valley. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 51.5 Catoctin Aqueduct
The Catoctin Aqueduct is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built with two semi-circle arches on either side of an elliptical arch. The elliptical arch was not structurally strong and began to sag, leading to structural failure. In 1973 two arches collapsed leaving only a remnant of the eastern arch standing. The Park Service buried the original stones to help preserve them in case the aqueduct was ever restored, which began in 2007. The restored aqueduct was dedicated and re-opened in 2011.
Central: Brunswick to Hancock
Mile Marker 62.5 Fort Duncan
The construction of Fort Duncan began in October 1862, shortly after the Battle of Antietam and the surrender of Harpers Ferry to Confederate forces. The mission of the fort was to guard the land surrounding Harpers Ferry and Bolivar Heights, as well as traffic on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Located across from Bolivar Heights, Fort Duncan is the far left flank of the Bernard Line, a series of fortifications along Maryland Heights. Ever vigilant, the only action Fort Duncan saw was a small demonstration following Jubal Early’s raid on Washington in 1864.
Mile Marker 65.2 Shinhan Limestone Kilns
At this point along the Canal, you can observe brick-lined arches in a concrete facing. These are the remains of several limestone kilns that were used to create fertilizer, plaster and cement during the 19th century. Owned by O.J. Shinhan, the kilns were operating as late as the 1960s. Cement was likely not produced here after the turn of the century, however, as Portland cement became the preferred product.
Mile Marker 69.5 Antietam Ironworks
The remnants of the once-thriving village of Antietam and the old limekilns from Antietam Ironworks are just beyond the stone bridge over Antietam Creek. Located at the confluence of Antietam Creek and the Potomac River, this was the site of extensive iron-working facilities for most of the century following 1765. Pig iron was the major product. During the Revolutionary War, craftsmen forged cannons, cast cannon balls, and turned out muskets at Antietam Ironworks. In 1786, metal parts for James Rumsey’s experimental steamboat were forged here. Powered by water from the Antietam Creek, the village had a rolling mill, slitting mill, nail factories, large grist mill, limestone crushing mill, spinning mills, hemp mills, flour mills, sawmill, shingle mill, cooperage factory, woolen mill, and stove works at various times. During the Maryland Campaign of 1862, General Ambrose Burnside’s Ninth Army Corps passed through the village on its way to Sharpsburg. The ironworks suffered some damage during the Civil War but was rebuilt and operated until 1882. Antietam Village and Antietam Ironworks are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mile Marker 75.7 Killiansburg Cave
After the Battle of South Mountain, as the Confederate army retreated and settled in Sharpsburg, the town residents felt the tension mounting between the Confederates and the Federals. Many families left their homes to go stay with nearby relatives while others found refuge in caves, including the Killiansburg Cave, along the Potomac River. Out of the line of fire, the caves provided a safe haven for residents to gather until the battle ceased.
Mile Marker 84.6 Dam 4
The seven dams on the Potomac River were originally built to divert water into the canal. Dam 4 provided water for 22 miles of the canal, from Milepost 84.6 downstream to Milepost 62.3, just above Harpers Ferry. The water was regulated at the guard lock at Dam 4 to maintain a consistent level of water traveling at two miles per hour down the canal prism. For the past hundred years, Dam 4 has also been capturing the water’s power at a facility on the West Virginia side of the river. This hydro-electric gravity dam, built in 1913 and modified in 1994, is 20 feet tall and approximately 800 feet across. It uses a drive belt to transfer power from the river to the turbines.
Mile Marker 88.1 McMahon’s Mill
The mill here has been known by a variety of different names: Shanks Mill, Charles Mill (not to be confused with Charles Mill just below Dam 5), Avis Mill, Shaffer’s Mill, Old Flouring Mill, Galloways Mill, Cedar Grove Mill, and more recently, McMahon’s Mill. The mill was built on Downey Branch in 1778 to produce flour, feed, and plaster. The wooden overshot wheel was replaced by a steel wheel in the 1920’s, when waterpower was used to generate electricity here. The mill closed in 1922 after a flood and was later restored by the National Park Service.
Mile Marker 99.1 Lockhouse 44
Although Lockhouse 44 was not built until after the Civl War, the lock itself was operational with a storehouse and mill nearby. How unnerving it must have been here during a canon barrage with the echo of artillery reverberating over the water and through the trees, with tremors shaking both boats and buildings. There was also a constant worry about Confederates disrupting canal operations by raiding the stores, confiscating boats, or blowing up dams or aqueducts. Right here at Lock 44 in 1862, the lock gates were burned along with eleven canal boats. The following year the lock gates were burnt again and part of the lock wall torn down.
Mile Marker 99.5 Bollman Bridge
The Bollman Bridge was constructed in 1879 and stands as a testament to nineteenth century engineering. This pony-Pratt iron truss bridge is one of the few surviving bridges built by Wendell Bollman, a pioneer in engineering of iron bridges. Prior to 1850, most bridges built in America were wooden. Bollman was a self-taught engineer who pioneered the “Bollman truss” design.
Mile Marker 99.5 Cushwa Basin
The historic Cushwa Basin warehouse is open seasonally as the C&O Canal Visitor Center in Williamsport, interpreting the 1920s time period on the canal. The Park staff offer boat tours at Williamsport/Cushwa Basin on a replica launch boat that passes over the refurbished Conococheague Aqueduct. It’s the only place in North America where visitors can see a lift lock and refurbished lockhouse, a railroad lift bridge, a canal turning basin, and a re-watered aqueduct. Lockhouse 44 is fully furnished on the lower level and is open to visitors periodically throughout the spring and summer. Visitors can step back in time to learn about what lock keepers did and how they lived. Inside the Cushwa Basin warehouse visitors will find interpretive exhibits and visitor information. The Trolley Barn at Cushwa Basin features hands-on activities for children and replica historic toys. Days and times may vary for boat tours and visitation to Lockhouse 44 and the Trolley Barn. Visit the Park’s website for more information.
Mile Marker 99.6 Conococheague Aqueduct
Completed in 1834, the Conococheague Aqueduct was built of limestone from nearby quarries. The aqueduct has three equal arch spans. Both armies launched raids against the aqueduct during the Civil War. Years later, the berm wall collapsed early on the morning of April 20, 1920. The boat traveling across the aqueduct fell into the Conococheague Creek and remained there until the 1936 flood carried it down the Potomac. A full restoration of the aqueduct was completed in 2019. Canal launch boat rides across the re-watered aqueduct are offered seasonally. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Mile Marker 106.6 Dam 5/Guard Lock
Originally constructed of timber in 1835, Dam No. 5 was an important source of hydro power for millworks on the river. Unfortunately, the dam’s timber construction was no match for the many floods that swelled the Potomac River. The canal company decided a masonry dam would be stronger, but completion of the new 700-foot “high rock” dam was delayed by more floods and the Civil War. The plant was converted to a paper mill for a short time from 1887-1891, and has been producing electricity since that time by several different power companies.
Mile Marker 108.9 Lock 49 and Four Locks
Unlike many other canal towns, which were founded before the canal began, Four Locks began as private land and developed into a town after the canal came through. Named for the four locks that traverse this quarter mile section, over 30 buildings once stood here, including residences, warehouses, stores, a post office, and a one-room schoolhouse — everything a child and their family would need. Experience life on the Canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 49, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 49 is a two-story lockhouse furnished in the 1920s time period that tells the story of the Four Locks community. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 109.0 School House
From 1877 to 1943, the School House at mile marker 109 taught thirty children in eight grades. With no heat, electricity, or indoor plumbing, the School House is a stark comparison to our modern day conveniences. Oil lamps provided light, the pot-bellied stove provided heat, and bathroom trips required venturing outside in the elements. In addition to their studies, children had chores around the School House, such as stacking firewood for the stove and carrying drinking water from a well near the Canal. Of course, eager to get away from school, children would often spill much of the water to be sent back for more.
Mile Marker 110.2 McCoys Ferry
Union and Confederate troops clashed several times at McCoys Ferry throughout the Civil War, On May 23, 1861, Confederate forces tried to capture the ferry boat but were halted by fire from the Clear Spring Guards. They let the boat drift downstream where Union soldiers later retrieved it. On October 10, 1862, less than one month after the Battle of Antietam, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart and his cavalry crossed the Potomac River at McCoys Ferry on his second ride around McClellan’s army. Part of the Confederate cavalry in the McCausland-Johnson raid crossed the Potomac here on July 24, 1864. The cavalry was on its way to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where it burned the town after residents refused to pay a ransom.Mile Marker 112.4
West: Hancock to Cumberland
Mile Marker 127.4 Round Top Cement Mill
When the C&O Canal was being dug in 1837, argillomagenisian limestone, a material well-suited for hydraulic cement, was discovered. George Shafer, who produced cement upstream, opened a cement mill in 1838 at the foot of Roundtop Hill. The mill provided cement for the remaining 60 miles of canal heading west to Cumberland. This mill even supplied cement for the Washington Monument, the Cabin John Bridge, and the U.S. Capitol. In 1863, the mill was sold and renamed the Round Top Hydraulic Cement Company. It quickly became one of Washington County’s most profitable businesses, providing jobs for 100 people during the Civil War. The mill was eventually put out of business by Portland cement, which was stronger and took longer to harden. The cement mill burnt and was rebuilt three times during its operation, including a fire in 1903 that greatly reduced the operation. Today the ruins of the mill and eight kilns, once powered by coal shipped downstream via canal boat, remain.
Mile Marker 154.7 Lock 65: The Missing Lock
Have you heard of the “missing lock?” Lock No. 65 or the “missing lock” was never really missing at all, only eliminated from the construction plans by the canal company. Learn the full story!
Mile Marker 155.0 Paw Paw Tunnel
It took 12 years and nearly all of the Canal Company’s funds to complete the Paw Paw Tunnel, but it opened to traffic on October 10, 1850. The tunnel was built to save five miles of construction by cutting across a neck of land formed by the Paw Paw bends. What resulted was the most notable landmark on the Canal—at three-fifths of a mile and 5,800,000 bricks in all.
Mile Marker 166.7 Michael Cresap House
Built in 1762, Thomas Cresap with his 20-year-old son Michael built this house. Michael died 13 years later, but Thomas lived into his nineties. The house is one of the only remnants of the frontier the Cresap family built in Oldtown. Reverend John Jacobs, who married Michael Cresap’s widow, built the brick addition in 1871.
Mile Marker 166.7 Thomas Cresap Gravesite and Ginevan House
For many years the grave of famous frontiersman Thomas Cresap sat unmarked and nearly forgotten. English-born Cresap, who was known in colonial Maryland as an Indian trader, a land speculator, a farmer and a soldier, died in 1787 and was buried here, overlooking Lock 70. Livestock grazed over the unkempt grave and Cresap’s headstone was knocked over. In 1939, someone moved the headstone to the Oldtown Methodist Church cemetery, a mile away. For the next 60 years Cresap’s grave remained unmarked in the middle of a cow pasture. During this time the land was owned by the Ginevan family, who built a Victorian home on the land, which remains today. In the 1990’s historians, descendents and the National Park Service were able to return Cresap’s headstone to its rightful place. Also on this site, the Ginevan family built an impressive brick Victorian home in 1878 that remains today.
Mile Marker 166.7 Oldtown
Oldtown’s history dates back thousands of years to early Native American settlements in the area. Five of their trails passed through Oldtown; in fact, the town’s original name was Shawnee Oldtown. In the early 1740s, frontiersman Thomas Cresap established a fort near the Potomac River. His son, Michael, was the first white male born in Allegany County. Today, one of the oldest structures in Allegany County is the 1764 Michael Cresap House. George Washington crossed the Potomac here in 1748 when he was in his teens, working on a survey mission. The low water crossing of the Potomac River at Oldtown made it a popular spot for troops to cross during the French and Indian War and again later during the Civil War. Several Civil War incidents at Oldtown affected the canal and the B&O Railroad. In August of 1864, after burning Chambersburg and occupying Hancock, Confederate troops threatened Cumberland. Union forces amassed an unsuccessful attempt to trap Brigadier John McCausland’s Confederate raiders behind Union lines in the Battle of Oldtown on August 2.
Mile Marker 184.5 Terminus
Cumberland, established as a town in 1787, was once the second largest city in Maryland. During the Industrial Revolution the mountains of the Cumberland region provided coal, iron ore and timber, which turned the city into a key manufacturing center. Other industries took off as well, like glass, breweries, fabrics, and tinplates. Prior to the arrival of the railroad and the canal, the National Road brought travelers to Cumberland. The railroad made it to Cumberland in 1842, followed by the canal in 1850. At that time, use of the National Road began to decline. The last stagecoach line stopped operating in 1853. During much of the Civil War, Union General Benjamin Kelley’s troops, headquartered in Cumberland, were responsible for protecting the B&O Railroad and the canal. Following World War II, industry in Cumberland began to decline, as did the population. Today, Cumberland is a member of the Canal Towns Partnership and features a variety of shopping and history for tourists to discover.
Mile Marker 184.5 Canal Boat Replica
Visitors can tour “The Cumberland,” a full-sized replica canal boat constructed in 1976. Guides in period clothing interpret the history of the canal and daily life aboard a canal boat. Visitors can also tour the mule shed, hay house and furnished Captain’s cabin. Visit the Park’s website for more information and hours.
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To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the C&O Canal becoming a National Historical Park, we are featuring 50 Canal Stories throughout 2021. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, submit it to us at the link here, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory.
Lois Turco, long-time volunteer with Canal Towns Partnership
Growing up in Washington, D.C., along River Road, my parents and I often took a drive down to Falls Road into McArthur Blvd. and parked across from Old Anglers Inn and walk the towpath to Widewater. Back then, the large basin was undergoing some repair. Walking along the washed-out towpath was tricky. I remember seeing many fishermen and canoes. Access to the Falls was through a toll gate, and the hardy walkers held onto the somewhat unstable rails to see the Great Falls. The park was in my backyard and D.C. and MD residents took advantage of its proximity.
Returning to the United States after five tours abroad, we rediscovered the canal as a National Historical Park within the NPS. From where we lived in Rockville, MD, near Falls Road, it was an easy drive to the park. Again the park, the towpath, and its proximity to the river provided needed respite and renewal.
After retirement, we moved to Shepherdstown, WV, and quickly discovered that the park was again in our backyard. I became a Shepherdstown Rotarian and worked with the C&O Canal National Historical Park to design a ramp which would make accessibility from the Lock 38 towpath up to the new Rumsey Bridge a reality. From there, I worked with the NPS River, Trails, Conservation Assistance (RTCA) to facilitate the creation of a new program within the C&O Canal Trust: the Canal Towns Partnership, which promotes the sustainable economic development of our Canal Towns by promoting recreational tourism and the experience of the town and the park in partnership. Since 2011, I have been a board member and for four years chair of the Partnership. I enjoy being a Shepherdstown trail ambassador. Indeed, the canal, whether then or now, remains a fixture in my life.
After your hike or bike ride along the C&O Canal, venture into the Canal Towns that line the towpath to enjoy a savory meal and sweet treat with our C&O Canal Sweet and Savory Trail! Thirsty? We also have a C&O Canal Libations Trail. These trails were developed in partnership with the Canal Towns Partnership.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD
White’s Ferry Store and Grill
24801 Whites Ferry Rd., Dickerson, MD 20842
0.1 mile walk/ride from the C&O Canal
Savory: White’s Ferry Burger: Burger with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and a fried egg, with the addition of onion rings.
Release Date: Available now
FREDERICK COUNTY, MD
Beans in the Belfry
122 W. Potomac St., Brunswick, MD 21716
0.3 mile walk/ride from the C&O Canal
Savory: C&O Canal Sandwich: Juicy gyro slices of lamb and beef, fresh feta cheese and the sun-drenched goodness of chopped olives, fire-roasted red peppers, onions, spinach and artichoke hearts served on fragrant flat bread.
Release Date: June 15
Potomac Street Grill
31 E. Potomac St., Brunswick, MD 21716
0.2 mile walk/bike from the canal
Savory: Eel Town Dundee: A twist on a classic chicken salad sandwich on rye bread with a special sauce and your choice of side.
Release Date: Available now
Rocky Point Creamery
4323 Tuscarora Rd, Tuscarora, MD 21790
1.5 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: Mule Food Ice Cream: Sweet cream ice cream with oatmeal cookies and chocolate flakes mixed in, this is an ode to the towpath and the mules that worked along it.
Release Date: Available now
Stroker’s BBQ
Food truck – see their schedule
Savory: Canal Barge: Pulled pork/pulled chicken, your choice of sauce, lettuce & thick cut bacon, served with sampling of all three side dishes
Release Date: Available now
Hive Bake Shop
318 Petersville Rd, Brunswick, MD 21716
0.4 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: C&O Canal Chocolate Mega Macaron: 4-inch giant macaron filled with decadent chocolate buttercream
Release Date: April 21- July 21 in store only. Limited quantities available daily until sold out. Not eligible for custom or pre order.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, WV
Almost Heaven Pub and Grill
177 Potomac St., Harpers Ferry, WV, 25425
0.3 mile walk/bike from the canal
Savory: C&O Burger: 1/2 pound hand-patted burger, bacon, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, and a crispy onion ring, served on a brioche bun, with a side of hand cut french fries for $14.95.
Release Date: Available now
Battle Grounds Bakery & Coffee
180 High Street, Harpers Ferry, WV, 25425
0.2 mile walk/bike from the canal
Savory: John Brown: Roast beef, mushrooms, onions, provolone, and BBQ sauce.
Release Date: Available now
Sweet: Salty Dog Tavern: Salted caramel
Release Date: Available now
Sweetshop Bakery
100 W German St, Shepherdstown, WV 25443
0.7 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: Sweet Shop Canal Boat: Éclair with Strawberry Mouse and fresh strawberries. It can have a topping of either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, customer’s choice.
Release Date: July 1
The Rabbit Hole Gastro Pub
186 High St., Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
0.4 mile walk/bike from the canal
Savory: The Canal Chicken Sandwich: Grilled chicken topped with Swiss cheese, avocado and fire-roasted sweet peppers. Served on brioche with lettuce, tomato, and red onion, with a pickle spear and a side of fries.
Release Date: Available now
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD
Burkholder’s Baked Goods
106 W. High St., Sharpsburg, MD 21782
3.6 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: Apple fritter doughnut
Release Date: Available now
Desert Rose Cafe
2 E. Potomac St., Williamsport, MD 21795
0.4 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: Muddy Mile Marker 100: Chocolate or Vanilla milkshake with M&M’s and Chocolate Cake
Release Date: Available now
Savory: Boatman’s Bean Soup, based on a recipe from lock tenders. Includes beans, potatoes, onion, tomato, and ham.
Release Date: Available now
Tony’s Pizzeria Restaurant & Grill
10 E. Salisbury St., Williamsport, MD 21795
0.3 mile walk/bike from the canal
Savory: Cushwa Reuben: Classic reuben sandwich with pastrami, sour kraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese.
Release Date: Available now
Potomac River Grill
4 Blue Hill, Hancock, MD 21750
0.6 mile walk/bike from the canal
Savory: Mile 125 Angus Burger: An 8 oz. patty, BBQ glaze, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and an onion ring.
Release Date: Available now
Buddy Lou’s Eats & Antiques
11 E Main St, Hancock, MD 21750
0.1 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: Dirty Canal Boat: Banana Split with choice of alcohol
Release Date: TBD
Fractured Banana
101 W Main St, Hancock, MD 21750
0.2 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: Canal Barge: “Boat Shape Dish” to represent the canal barge and choice of Peach Ice Cream with diced peaches and scoop of vanilla or Deep Dish Apple Ice Cream with spiced apple topping over it and a scoop of vanilla, sprinkled with cinnamon. The apples and peaches representing our orchard history, and ice cream piled like a mountain with the split between two to represent the Sideling Hill Cut in the mountain.
Release Date: Available now
ALLEGANY COUNTY, MD
Queen City Creamery
108 W. Harrison St, Cumberland, MD 21502
0.2 mile walk/bike from the canal
Sweet: Queen City Cookie Custard: A creamy vanilla custard blended with chunks of Oreo cookies…an oldie but a goodie
Release Date: Available now
The initial collection features a short-sleeved t-shirt with a rendering of the scenic C&O Canal towpath on the back. The shirts will retail for $24.99, and a portion of the sale of each shirt will support the C&O Canal Trust’s mission to preserve and protect the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The Trust is the official nonprofit partner of the Park.
The Canal Towns Partnership and the C&O Canal Trust announce the launch of seven C&O Canal-themed beers by eleven local breweries as part of a new C&O Canal Libations Trail created to celebrate the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park’s 50th anniversary as a part of the National Park Service. The trail will also include wineries, distilleries, and specialty cocktails to be released later in the year.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the C&O Canal becoming a National Historical Park, we are featuring 50 Canal Stories throughout 2021. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, submit it to us at the link here, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory.
Jon Wolz, former Boy Scout who testified in support of making the C&O Canal a National Park and current volunteer
C&O Canal Trust: What is your relationship with the C&O Canal?
Jon: In 1970, Congressmen Gilbert Gude and J. Glenn Beall of Maryland co-sponsored a bill to make the C&O Canal into a National Historical Park. Congressmen Gude contacted Mr. Charles Stover of Rockville to find a couple of Boy Scouts to testify before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Parks and Recreation of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs on their feelings for making the C&O Canal into a National Historical Park. Mr. Stover had recently helped plan and arrange the Montgomery County District Camp O’Ree at Fort Frederick, Maryland next to the canal in October 1970. At that Camp O’Ree, Congressman Gude spoke to the scouts about the need for making the canal into a National Historical Park. Subsequent to that campout, the House of Representatives passed a bill in support of Congressman Gude’s vision for the canal. Charles Stover contacted Jack Alleman, Scoutmaster of Troop 246 of Silver Spring, Maryland. Mr. Stover had met Mr. Alleman at the Camp O’Ree that was attended by Troop 246 and through conversation, learned that several scouts from the troop had hiked the entire length of the C&O Canal. Mr. Alleman selected me for this honor to speak before the Committee. At the time, I was a fifteen-year-old sophomore at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring and an Eagle Scout. In addition to me speaking, Life Scout Mark Stover from Troop 1072 was chosen to speak. Both of us were asked to speak on the meaning of the C&O Canal and why it should be preserved as a National Historical Park.
On December 15, 1970, I rode with my parents, Charles and Shirley Wolz, to the Capitol where we were met by Congressmen Gude and Beall, who escorted us to the hearing room. Senator Charles McC. Mathias of Maryland was the first to testify, followed by Congressman Gude. After Congressmen Gude spoke, he introduced me and Mark to subcommittee chairman Senator Alan Bible of Nevada and the other subcommittee members. I spoke after Congressmen Gude and then Mark spoke. Cub Scout Charles Stover presented to each of the ten men of the subcommittee the C&O Canal Scout patches and medals awarded Scouts for hiking the Canal.
On December 22, 1970, the bill was passed by the Senate, and it was sent to President Nixon on December 23, 1970 for his signature. On January 8, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon signed the Act making the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal a National Historical Park.
After I retired from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in 2014, I became a level walker with the C&O Canal Association (COCA) in 2015. I have two levels that go from White’s Ferry to the Monocacy Aqueduct. Over the last 5 1/2 years, I have been involved with a few C&O Canal Pride Days, painted 36 picnic tables with a friend in 2019, serve on the audit committee for the C&O Canal Association, given talks to the Monocacy Lions Club and the Poolesville Oddfellows about the C&O Canal, led a walk to Latrobe’s Marble Quarry for Poolesville Area Seniors, participated in garlic mustard pulls, helped build three picnic tables for the Park under the guidance of Jim Heins of the COCA, organized and led Potomac River clean-ups at the Monocacy Aqueduct/Lock 27 beginning in 2017, adding the White’s Ferry area in 2019, and recommended a few special projects for the Park to the COCA’s Special Project’s Committee. One project that I am currently involved with is replacing the mule kick boards on the Monocacy Aqueduct that is jointly sponsored by the C&O Canal National Historical Park and the COCA. In 2021, I will be leading walks on behalf of the COCA to Latrobe’s Marble Quarry, White’s Ford Fort, and the Johnson Quarry. Also, in 2021, I hope to lead Potomac River Clean-ups at the Monocacy Aqueduct/Lock 27, Lock 26/Dickerson and White’s Ferry with the support of Boys Scouts from Montgomery County Maryland.
C&O Canal Trust: Do you have a favorite memory of the canal that you can share?
Jon: The many hikes and campouts along the towpath as a Boy Scout. I remember camping at various places from Point of Rocks to Swains Lock. I learned to canoe at Swains Lock and once we canoed from Swains Lock up to Violettes Lock. As a scout, my troop bicycled from Cumberland to Brunswick, a total of 125 miles and camped along the way.
In September 2020, I was invited to walk with an American Legion Post and local Girl Scout troop across White’s Ford and back. We met at Calleva Farm where I spoke of the history of White’s Ford and the immediate area along the canal. We walked down the hillside to the towpath. A few of the girls asked about the “path.” They had never been on the towpath before, so I talked to them about the towpath and the canal.
C&O Canal Trust: What is your favorite spot on the canal? Why?
Jon: I have a few favorite places. From White’s Ferry to the Monocacy Aqueduct, there is a variety of wildlife and birds. I first visited this stretch as a Boy Scout and had many fond memories of this area from my youth. In recent years, I have seen deer, fox, muskrats, a variety of birds, and turtles. I enjoy finding animal tracks along the culvert streams or in the snow. I have discovered there is a lot of history along this stretch of the canal including Latrobe’s marble quarry, White’s Ford Fort, civil war history, a variety of culverts, two locks, two granary ruins and the Monocacy Aqueduct. In the springtime and into the summer, there are a variety of wildflowers. I enjoy keeping an eye on paw paws as they grow throughout the spring and summer.
C&O Canal Trust: What is your favorite thing to do on the canal?
Jon: Walking along the towpath in all four seasons, noticing the changes with the wildlife and to trees/plants. I also look forward to seeing each spring the wildlife, tree leaves, and plants make their reappearance in the park. I enjoy seeing the ice formations flowing down berm side cliffs and the icicles beneath the end arches at the Monocacy Aqueduct. I enjoy finding a quiet place to sit observing my surroundings and listening to the sounds of the park.
C&O Canal Trust: What does the canal mean to you?
Jon: It is always an exciting place for me to walk alone or with friends or family. Each time I visit the canal, I always have a new and unique experience. I greatly appreciate the efforts by the C&O Canal National Historical Park and others to maintain the physical park, tell, and maintain the history of the park. I feel that in my own way I can help maintain the park and tell the history of the park as well so the park will live on for future generations.
Congressmen Gude and Beall, cub scout Mark Stover and boy scout Jon Wolz, December 15, 1970.
A note to Jon Wolz from Gilbert Gude on top of the hearing book from December 15, 1970.
The C&O Canal Trust is conducting a t-shirt artwork contest to find a logo that will represent our 2021 Canal Community Days events. Amateur artists are invited to create and submit artwork that celebrates these annual volunteer events that bring community members together to beautify the C&O Canal National Historical Park for the spring season. The winning design will be printed on our Canal Community Days t-shirts and worn by volunteers as they work along the C&O Canal during the spring and summer months. Read More
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the C&O Canal becoming a National Historical Park, we are featuring 50 Canal Stories throughout 2021. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, submit it to us at the link here, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory.
Karen Gray, long-time C&O Canal volunteer historian
C&O Canal Trust: What is your relationship with the C&O Canal?
Karen: I have a 3-love relationship with the C&O Canal. (1) I love the park–its natural, historic, and human resources. (2) I love the history and engineering of the canal and especially the historic masonry structures. And (3) I love the people who work in the park and those who love it as I do–in multiple ways.
C&O Canal Trust: Can you share your favorite historical fact or story about the canal?
Karen: I am so fascinated by the times the canal should have died but survived. Much of my study has been driven by the need to explain to myself those survivals and to understand the historic context and the people who played decisive roles in its survival.
C&O Canal Trust: Do you have a favorite canal memory?
Karen: I have competing memories that are on pretty much the same level of joy and satisfaction and they involve restorations or improvements: The dedication of the newly reconstructed Catoctin Aqueduct, the dedication of the Monocacy stabilization, my first visit to the fully restored and rewatered Conococheague Aqueduct (I was traveling at the time of the dedication or I would have been there), and the dedication of the bench at the Monocacy in memory of our incredible National Park Service (NPS) mason, Randy Astarb.
C&O Canal Trust: What is your favorite spot on the canal?
Karen: I especially love Dam 5 and Little Slackwater up to and including Locks 45 and 46. I consider the Dam 5 and Inlet #5 location the most dangerous for the boat people on the canal and the engineering uniquely interesting. But it is also now one of the most dramatic, unique, and beautiful places along the 184.5 miles–to a great extent because of one’s proximity to the beautiful, historic Upper Potomac River.
Karen: I especially love Dam 5 and Little Slackwater up to and including Locks 45 and 46. I consider the Dam 5 and Inlet #5 location the most dangerous for the boat people on the canal and the engineering uniquely interesting. But it is also now one of the most dramatic, unique, and beautiful places along the 184.5 miles–to a great extent because of one’s proximity to the beautiful, historic Upper Potomac River.
C&O Canal Trust: What does the C&O Canal mean to you?
Karen: It is very hard for me to put into words what the canal means to me. Trying to do so would require speaking about the connection to past people and events; the many friendships among the people associated with the NPS and the park that have enriched my life; the times that walks on the towpath have intensified my sense of life and the life and land I am a part of; and finally the times that the towpath has been my refuge when troubled or in sorrow and in need of interior healing which it always provided. What does it mean to me more briefly? A home–a place for belonging, unfailing pleasure, and unending personal enrichment.
Karen: It is very hard for me to put into words what the canal means to me. Trying to do so would require speaking about the connection to past people and events; the many friendships among the people associated with the NPS and the park that have enriched my life; the times that walks on the towpath have intensified my sense of life and the life and land I am a part of; and finally the times that the towpath has been my refuge when troubled or in sorrow and in need of interior healing which it always provided. What does it mean to me more briefly? A home–a place for belonging, unfailing pleasure, and unending personal enrichment.
The resurfacing project that has so far as smoothed out 42 miles of the C&O Canal’s towpath between Edwards Ferry and Shepherdstown will receive another infusion of cash with a $1.147 million grant from the State of Maryland’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). This is the fourth grant the C&O Canal National Historical Park has received in support of the “Towpath Rehabilitation: A Safe Towpath” project aimed at improving more than 80 miles of the 184.5 mile-long towpath.
Spanning 184.5 miles and 20,000 acres, the C&O Canal National Historical Park welcomes nearly 5 million visitors each year. That’s a lot of land for the National Park Service to maintain! As the official nonprofit partner of the Park, the C&O Canal Trust is happy to help out, assisting Park staff in preservation and maintenance projects year-round to keep the C&O Canal clean and beautiful.
Each spring, community members join together during a series of public Canal Pride clean-up events hosted by the Trust that ready the Park for the busy summer season. Volunteers gather at sites up and down the canal to remove trash, spread mulch, rake leaves, pull invasive species, plant gardens, and paint picnic benches, fire rings, and historic buildings. Their efforts save the National Park Service hundreds of thousands of dollars on labor.
Corporate and community groups can partner with the C&O Canal Trust throughout the year on clean-up projects at a favorite area of the Park. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are also encouraging families and small groups of friends to hold small Personal Canal Pride Day events focused on cleaning up trash.
You can learn more about volunteering for one of the Trust’s clean-up events or make a donation to support our work in the Park. We thank you for your support!
Lockhouse 22
Ever wondered what it was like to live in the past? Stay in a Canal Quarters lockhouse and find out firsthand! You’ll get a much better night’s sleep than your historic counterparts, who had to spring from their beds at all hours of the night as canal boats approached their locks.
Each of the seven lockhouses in the program have been rehabilitated and depict a different time period in the canal’s history. Authentic period furnishings add a quaint vibe, and interpretative materials that teach about the canal enrich your stay. The lockhouses all sleep up to eight people and are surrounded by the beautiful C&O Canal National Historical Park. Spend the day on the trail and your evenings around the campfire, under the stars.
Past guests have celebrated all types of occasions at the lockhouses, from birthdays to anniversaries, and holiday parties. But since the pandemic began in 2020, the lockhouses have become a popular spot for families to have a socially-distant vacation. Your group will have the lockhouse to yourself for the duration of your stay, and you can recreate in the safety of the great outdoors.
There are three lockhouses with full amenities, including electricity, heat, A/C, running water, and full bathrooms and kitchens (Lockhouses 6, 10, and 21.) Three lockhouses are rustic, without these amenities, but with a portable toilet and water pump nearby. These lockhouses provide guests with a truly authentic historic experience (Lockhouses 22, 25, and 28). Lockhouse 49 has electricity, but no running water.
The C&O Canal Trust, the official nonprofit partner of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, has been awarded the George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service by a Group in the National Capital Area. Each year, the George and Helen Hartzog Awards honor the exemplary contributions of National Park Service volunteers. Read More
Paw Paw Tunnel by Garner Woodall
The western section of the C&O Canal National Historical Park begins in Hancock (mile marker 124.0) and travels through the mountains of Maryland in Washington and Allegany Counties to Cumberland (mile marker 184.5). This section of the park is very rural, with beautiful vistas and woody retreats. In Cumberland, the C&O Canal ends, but joins the Great Allegheny Passage, which travels to Pittsburgh, PA. View a video about the western end of the C&O Canal, part of the C&O Canal Scenic Byway, here.
You can also copy this itinerary into our C&O Canal Itinerary Builder here.
Walk or Ride the Towpath
The towpath is the spine of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The C&O Canal was built in the mid-nineteenth century as a transportation route to bring goods from the Ohio river valley to eastern markets. (Learn more about the canal’s history here.) The canal boats were towed up and down the canal by mules on a path that ran beside the canal basin — hence the term “towpath.” Today, the towpath is a 184.5 mile long recreational path ideal for bikers and hikers due to its flat nature with very little incline. It is the main path to take while you explore the Park.
Visit the Paw Paw Tunnel
One of the engineering marvels of the C&O Canal, the Paw Paw Tunnel is almost exactly 6/10ths of a mile long and is constructed of almost 6 million bricks. It cut 6 miles off the length of the Canal, by tunneling through a mountain. The alternative to building the Tunnel was to make the Canal follow two of the Paw Paw Bends, a twisting 6-mile long section of the Potomac River. Be sure to take a flashlight if you journey through the tunnel — it’s dark in there!
Marvel at Historic Aqueducts
Four of the Park’s eleven aqueducts stand along the C&O Canal in the western region – some of the most impressive of the canal structures that stand today. Aqueducts transported the canal over streams and tributaries. The aqueducts are all different – the stone they were constructed with varies, including red sandstone, grey limestone, white granite, white and pink quartzite. They stand testament to the engineering ingenuity and devoted labor that went into the canal’s construction and the important role it played in the growth of our country. The Sideling Hill, Fifteenmile Creek, Town Creek, and Evitts Creek Aqueducts stand in the western region of the Park.
Visit the C&O Canal Museum at Cumberland
Housed in the historic 1913 Western Maryland Railway Station, the C&O Canal Visitors Museum provides a hands-on way to experience the history of the C&O Canal. Featuring an exhibit area with interactive and educational displays about the history of the C&O Canal and Cumberland, visitors can explore a model of the Paw Paw Tunnel to learn about the day-to-day life of the canal families and glimpse the entrance of a coal mine to learn about the main product shipped along the canal. Exhibits are on view of a model lock, boatbuilding, and Cumberland as a transportation crossroads. Children will enjoy several interactive exhibits – most notably Mutt the mule.
Explore Canal Towns
The western section features two Canal Towns, each a unique stop full of quaint shops and eateries, and a storied past with a direct link to the C&O Canal. Don’t miss Hancock (mile marker 124.0) and Cumberland (mile marker 184.5).
Visit the Green Ridge State Forest
Directly adjacent to the canal for nearly 18 miles is Green Ridge State Forest. At 47,560 acres, Green Ridge is the largest contiguous block of public land in Maryland – offering 50 miles of hiking trails and 200 miles of both dirt and gravel roads through the forest. Today, visitors have an array of entertainment options: hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, mountain biking, paddling, etc. Abundant wildlife in the state forest include deer, turkey, black bear, and unusual plants.
Get Active
The C&O Canal National Historical Park offers four seasons of outdoor recreation opportunities! Nestled along the Potomac River, you can hike, bike, fish, climb, camp, paddle, boat, ride horses, and more. Ride bikes on the smooth surface of the Western Maryland Rail Trail or ride all the way to Pittsburgh on the Great Allegheny Passage.
Have the Full C&O Canal Experience
The C&O Canal is surrounded by dozens of unique heritage, cultural, and recreational opportunities! You can visit one of our ten Canal Towns, drive the C&O Canal Byway, or explore the history that is part of the Passages of the Western Potomac Heritage Area. The western region of the C&O Canal runs through Washington and Allegany Counties, so be sure to check out these tourism websites for more to do in the area.
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Cushwa Basin in Williamsport by John Gensor
The central section of the C&O Canal National Historical Park begins in Brunswick (mile marker 55.0) in Frederick County and runs through the beautiful Piedmont portion of Maryland to Washington County‘s Hancock (mile marker 124.0). This area is rich in Civil War history, features several towns that were built around the canal, and offers countless scenic vistas.
You can also copy this itinerary into our C&O Canal Itinerary Builder here.
Walk or Ride the Towpath
The towpath is the spine of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The C&O Canal was built in the mid-nineteenth century as a transportation route to bring goods from the Ohio river valley to eastern markets. The canal boats were towed up and down the canal by mules on a path that ran beside the canal basin — hence the term “towpath.” Today, the towpath is a 184.5 mile long recreational path ideal for bikers and hikers due to its flat nature with very little incline. It is the main path to take while you explore the Park.
Visit Williamsport and the Cushwa Basin
The Cushwa Basin, located in Williamsport, MD, is situated at the confluence of the Conococheague Creek and the Potomac River. A popular entry point to the C&O Canal towpath, there is a National Park Service Visitor Center located here, in the historic Cushwa Warehouse beside the basin. The neighboring Conococheague Aqueduct was rebuilt in 2019, and visitors can take a boat ride over the aqueduct, past Lockhouse 44, through a lock, and under the Railroad Lift Bridge. This historic area was once the home of brick manufacturing and shipment of coal along the Canal — canal boats would use the turning basin to load coal and bricks on their trips between Cumberland and Georgetown.
Stay in an Historic Lockhouse
Lockhouse 49 in Clear Spring has been rehabilitated, furnished with period décor, and opened for overnight stays. The Canal Quarters program, run by the C&O Canal Trust, allows guests the unique opportunity to step back in time and live life as the lock keepers once did. Six more Canal Quarters lockhouses are available in the eastern region. Learn more and book a stay here.
Marvel at Historic Aqueducts
Four of the Park’s eleven aqueducts stand along the C&O Canal in the central region – some of the most impressive of the canal structures that stand today. Aqueducts transported the canal over streams and tributaries. The aqueducts are all different – the stone they were constructed with varies, including red sandstone, grey limestone, white granite, white and pink quartzite. They stand testament to the engineering ingenuity and devoted labor that went into the canal’s construction and the important role it played in the growth of our country. The Antietam, Conococheague, Licking Creek, and Tonoloway Aqueducts stand in the central region of the Park.
Walk in the Footsteps of Civil War Soldiers
This section of the canal and the area surrounding it is hallowed ground, having seen multiple Civil War battles. Visit Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to learn about John Brown’s Raid and Antietam National Battlefield, site of the bloodiest day in American history.
Explore Canal Towns
The central section features several Canal Towns, each a unique stop full of quaint shops and eateries, and a storied past with a direct link to the C&O Canal. Don’t miss Brunswick (mile marker 55.0), Harpers Ferry and Bolivar (mile marker 60.7), Shepherdstown (mile marker 72.7), Sharpsburg (mile marker 76.5), Williamsport (mile marker 99.4), and Hancock (mile marker 124.0).
Visit Iconic Canal Landmarks
Besides the Cushwa Basin and Conococheague Aqeuduct in Williamsport, this section features Dam 4 and Dam 5, which harness the Potomac River for its power, the Ferry Hill historic home, and Big Slackwater, a cement portion of towpath that sweeps along the Potomac, providing scenic water views.
Get Active
The C&O Canal National Historical Park offers four seasons of outdoor recreation opportunities! Nestled along the Potomac River, you can hike, bike, fish, climb, camp, paddle, boat, ride horses, and more. The Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia, intersects with the C&O Canal from Lock 31 at Weverton (mile marker 58.0) to Harpers Ferry (mile marker 60.7).
Have the Full C&O Canal Experience
The C&O Canal is surrounded by dozens of unique heritage, cultural, and recreational opportunities! You can visit one of our ten Canal Towns, drive the C&O Canal Byway, or explore the history that is part of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. The central region of the C&O Canal runs through Frederick and Washington Counties, so be sure to check out these tourism websites for more to do in the area.
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Great Falls Tavern by Michael C. Mitchell
There is a lot to explore in the eastern region of the canal, which begins in urban Georgetown in Washington DC (mile marker 0.0) and runs through the suburbs of Montgomery County. As you move farther west towards Frederick County, the area surrounding the Park becomes more rural. It ends in Brunswick (mile marker 55.0).
You can also copy this itinerary into our C&O Canal Itinerary Builder here.
Walk or Ride the Towpath
The towpath is the spine of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The C&O Canal was built in the mid-nineteenth century as a transportation route to bring goods from the Ohio river valley to eastern markets. The canal boats were towed up and down the canal by mules on a path that ran beside the canal basin — hence the term “towpath.” Today, the towpath is a 184.5 mile long recreational path ideal for bikers and hikers due to its flat nature with very little incline. It is the main path to take while you explore the Park.
Visit the Great Falls Area and Ride a Mule-Drawn Canal Boat
Arguably the most popular part of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, the Great Falls Area offers hiking trails, scenic overlooks of the powerful Potomac River thundering through the rocky “Great Falls,” a visitor center in a historic tavern, and the opportunity to ride a mule-drawn canal boat through a working lock (returning in 2022).
Stay in an Historic Lockhouse
Six historic lockhouses in the eastern region have been rehabilitated, furnished with period décor, and opened for overnight stays. The Canal Quarters program, run by the C&O Canal Trust, allows guests the unique opportunity to step back in time and live life as the lock keepers once did. A seventh Canal Quarters lockhouse is available in the central region. Learn more and book a stay here.
Hike the Billy Goat Trails
The three Billy Goat Trails are some of the most popular hiking trails in the area. All start and end on the towpath and include rock scrambling and scenic views. As of 2020, Billy Goat Trail B has been closed due to trail damage, but A and C are open for your enjoyment.
Marvel at Historic Aqueducts
Three of the Park’s eleven aqueducts stand along the C&O Canal in the eastern region – some of the most impressive of the canal structures that stand today. Aqueducts transported the canal over streams and tributaries. The aqueducts are all different – the stone they were constructed with varies, including red sandstone, grey limestone, white granite, white and pink quartzite. They stand testament to the engineering ingenuity and devoted labor that went into the canal’s construction and the important role it played in the growth of our country. The Alexandria, Seneca, Monocacy, and Catoctin Aqueducts stand in the eastern region of the Park.
Have the Full C&O Canal Experience
The C&O Canal is surrounded by dozens of unique heritage, cultural, and recreational opportunities! You can visit one of our ten Canal Towns, drive the C&O Canal Byway, or explore the history that is part of the Heritage Montgomery and Heart of the Civil War Heritage Areas. The eastern region of the C&O Canal runs through Washington DC, Montgomery and Frederick Counties, so be sure to check out these tourism websites for more to do in the area.
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Take the C&O Canal crossword puzzle here or download a PDF.
Read on when you are ready to read the solutions.
- 1. The C&O Canal is run by the ______
Answer: National Park Service
The National Park Service runs 419 units including battlefields, monuments, historical parks, parkways, scenic trails and more.
2. A National Scenic Trail that intersects with the C&O Canal (abbreviation)
Answer: AT
The Appalachian Trail or AT, is a National Scenic Trail that runs from Georgia to Maine. Harpers Ferry is considered the midpoint of the trail. The AT intersects with the C&O Canal outside of Harpers Ferry, runs for 2.6 miles along the towpath and diverges at Lock 31.
- Animal seen sunning on a rock
Answer: Turtle
- Something canal boats transported
Answer: Coal
The canal transported coal, flour, iron, and limestone products. Learn more about what the canal and railroad transported here.
- Where a lock keeper lived
Answer: Lockhouse
The men, women, and families that operated the locks lived in nearby lockhouses.
- River that runs alongside the Canal
Answer: Potomac
- National Historical Park that intersects with the C&O Canal
Answer: Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Canal visitors can access Harpers Ferry at mile marker 60.7. Harpers Ferry NHP interprets the story of John Brown’s Raid, an unsuccessful attempt to start a slave revolt in 1859 that was a precursor to the Civil War.
- Transportation system that raced to be completed before the canal
Answer: Railroad
Learn more about the race between the C&O Canal and the B&O railroad here.
- Animals pulling canal boats walked on the ______
Answer: Towpath
Mules towed canal boats on the path next to the canal, giving it the name “towpath”.
- A tunnel and fruit found in the Park
Answer: Paw Paw
The Paw Paw Tunnel is located near Oldtown Maryland. Pawpaw is a native tree in the Park that produces the pawpaw fruit.
- Supreme Court Justice who walked to help save the canal
Answer: Douglas
Justice William O Douglas advocated for preserving the canal instead of turning it into a parkway. He walked the length of the canal with nine editors from the Washington Post.
- Animal used to move canal boats
Answer: Mule
Today you can meet the mules of the C&O Canal.
- Family that lived in Lockhouse 21
Answer: Swain
Lockhouse 21 or ‘Swains’ was rehabilitated in 2019 and is available for overnight stays. Generations of Swains lived in Lockhouse 21 for 99 years, including current C&O Canal Trust board member Bert Swain.
- There are 36 ______ sites along the C&O Canal
Answer: Camp
There are 31 rustics hiker-biker campsites and five drive-in campsites in the Park.
- Terminus of the C&O Canal
Answer: Cumberland
Although the Canal Company planned to continue on to Pittsburgh, financial troubles and the superiority of the railroad contributed to the canal ending in Cumberland. Cumberland is now a member of the Canal Town Partnership and is where the C&O Canal meets the Great Allegheny Passage.
Great Falls Canal View Credit: Sean Matthews
Stuck at home? You can still engage with the C&O Canal! The C&O Canal Trust has developed several fun activities that you and your family can do to keep engaged and learn new things, all from the comfort of your home! Interested in word puzzles? Complete our canal-themed word search and crossword puzzle. The park also has some cool coloring pages on their Facebook page and a Canal Kids Online Portal with information and activities.
Explore the canal from home by browsing the C&O Canal Trust website, including our Canal Discoveries page which has information about several of the canal’s hidden gems.
Word Search
Crossword Puzzle
Test your C&O Canal knowledge with our crossword puzzle. You can complete it below, complete it online, or download and print a PDF.
If you get stumped visit this page to see the solution.
Written by Callie Fishburn and Esther Herbers
To celebrate Women’s History Month we are taking a look at the roles women played on the C&O Canal. Much of the canal’s history focuses on men, but thanks to the late Karen Gray, the C&O Canal National Historical Park’s former volunteer historian, we have this information on the canal’s women. Read More
Mules pull visitors up the canal on the Charles F. Mercer canal boat. Photo by Roy Sewall
Although the canal stopped operating one hundred years ago, you can still step back in time and experience what life was like on the C&O Canal during its heyday. You’ll find a multitude of authentic canal experiences, historic structures you can visit or book a night’s stay in, and even canal boat rides, with and without mules.
You can also copy this itinerary into our C&O Canal Itinerary Builder here.
Canal Quarters Lockhouses
Arguably the most unique experience you can have is to stay in an historic lockhouse! The Canal Quarters program features seven authentic lockhouses along the C&O Canal that have been preserved and are available to guests for overnight stays. Step back in time and experience what life was like during the heyday of the canal. Each lockhouse has been furnished with furniture and accessories from a different time period and each tells a different story about the development of the C&O Canal. Each lockhouse can sleep up to eight people. Visit www.canalquarters.org for more information and to book your stay!
Aqueducts
Eleven aqueducts stand along the C&O Canal – some of the most impressive of the canal structures that stand today. Aqueducts transported the canal over streams and tributaries. Several have been rebuilt, including the Conococheague Aqueduct in Williamsport, which is watered and is one of the only places in the country where you can ride a boat over an aqueduct. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Other Experiences
The C&O Canal National Historical Park offers a variety of other authentic canal experiences, including boat rides and historic canal structures you can visit. Read on for more, or view by region: East | Central | West
East: DC to Brunswick
Mile Marker 1.0 Alexandria Aqueduct
An earlier attempt to relieve the congestion of canal boats unloading cargo in Georgetown, the Potomac Aqueduct allowed canal boats to cross over the Potomac River, connect with the Alexandria Canal, and deliver goods to the wharves at Alexandria, Virginia. This structure was built between 1833 and 1843. Only two of the aqueduct’s abutments and one pier near the Virginia shore remain today.
Mile Marker 3.1 The Abner Cloud House
One of the oldest existing structures on the Canal, the Abner Cloud House and nearby mill date back to 1801. The site provided grain and excellent quality flour called “Evermay” to Washington, D.C. for nearly 70 years. Only ruins of the mill remain, but the house was restored in the 1970s. Today, the Colonial Dames of America, Chapter III, periodically offers interpretive programs in the house.
Mile Marker 5.4 Lockhouse 6
Experience life on the canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 6, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 6 is furnished in the 1950s time period and tells the story of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas’s walk of the entire 184.5-mile long towpath to help save the canal. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 8.8 Lockhouse 10
Lockhouse 10 is also a part of the Canal Quarters program. Like Lockhouse 6, it provides a unique lodging option for your canal visit. It is furnished in the 1930s time period and tells the story of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) efforts to preserve the canal. With a screened-in porch overlooking the canal and full amenities, this lockhouse provides a restful spot to recharge from your canal explorations. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 14.4 Historic Great Falls Tavern and Canal Boat Program
Today, Great Falls Tavern, once known as the Crommelin House, is a visitor center for the C&O Canal National Historical Park, offering visitor services, exhibits, interpretive programs, and more. This grand two-story historic structure, completed in 1829, served a number of purposes through the years as a locktender’s house, a tavern, a hotel, and even a private club.
One of the most authentic experiences available on the C&O Canal is a canal boat ride. Experience life in the 1870s, a history lesson and a unique boat ride that includes a ride through a 19th century lock, complete with canal mules and costumed guides. You’ll get all this and more during an hour-long ride aboard the replica Charles F. Mercer canal boat at the Historic Great Falls Tavern. (Check www.nps.gov/choh for the schedule of boat rides. Rides are closed for 2020 and will resume in 2021.)
Mile Marker 16.7 Lockhouse 21 “Swains Lockhouse”
Also a part of the Canal Quarters program, Lockhouse 21 is also known as “Swains Lockhouse” after the family who lived there for over a century. This lockhouse interprets 1916, the year the National Park Service was formed and the date when the C&O Canal was beginning to transition from a working canal to a recreational space. The lockhouse has been completely modernized with full amenities, including an ADA-accessible bathroom and a Murphy bed on the first floor, ramps into the house, and hallways wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 19.6 Lockhouse 22
Experience life on the canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 22, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 22 is furnished in the 1830s time period, reflecting on the early phase of canal construction and the architectural marvels that were necessary to make it functional. Step back in time and experience life as the lock keepers truly lived. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 22.7 Seneca Aqueduct
Seneca Aqueduct and Lock 24 are combined into a single structure here, the only place along the canal that this was necessary. This is one of 11 aqueducts that carried the canal over major tributaries of the Potomac.
Mile Marker 22.7 Lockhouse 24 “Riley’s Lockhouse”
Riley’s Lockhouse is very well restored, with one-and-a-half stories over a full basement. Local Girl Scouts dressed in period clothing periodically provide interpretation and guide visitors through the historic home.
Mile Marker 30.9 Lockhouse 25
Experience life on the Canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 25, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 25 is nestled in the sleepy town of Edwards Ferry and is furnished in the 1860s time period, telling the story of the Civil War’s impact on the Canal. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 35.5 White’s Ferry
White’s Ferry is a one-of-a-kind on the Potomac River. Until it closed in 2020, it was the last operating ferry on the river, transporting vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians from Maryland across to the Leesburg area of Virginia.
Mile Marker 42.2 Monocacy Aqueduct
The Monocacy Aqueduct is the largest of the canal’s 11 stone aqueducts. It is often considered one of the two finest features of the C&O Canal. It was built from 1829-1833.
Mile Marker 49.0 Lockhouse 28
Lockhouse 28 is the most remote of all the Canal Quarters lockhouses, located nearly a half mile from the nearest parking. This rustic retreat was completed in 1837 and is a reminder of the fierce competitive race between the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the race to reach the Ohio River Valley. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 51.5 Catoctin Aqueduct
The Catoctin Aqueduct is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built with two semi-circle arches on either side of an elliptical arch. The elliptical arch was not structurally strong and began to sag, leading to structural failure. In 1973 two arches collapsed leaving only a remnant of the eastern arch standing. The Park Service buried the original stones to help preserve them in case the aqueduct was ever restored, which began in 2007. The restored aqueduct was dedicated and re-opened in 2011.
Central: Brunswick to Hancock
Mile Marker 69.4 Antietam Aqueduct
The Antietam Aqueduct is the fourth of 11 stone aqueducts in the Park. The 140-foot structure is built of limestone from a nearby quarry and has three elliptical arches. It’s located near Antietam Battlefield but actually sustained extensive damage by the Confederates during General Jubal Early’s invasion of Maryland in 1864. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Mile Marker 99.2-99.8 Williamsport Visitor Center/Cushwa Basin
The historic Cushwa Basin warehouse is open seasonally as the C&O Canal Visitor Center in Williamsport, interpreting the 1920s time period on the canal. The Park staff offer boat tours at Williamsport/Cushwa Basin on a replica launch boat that passes over the refurbished Conococheague Aqueduct. It’s the only place in North America where visitors can see a lift lock and refurbished lockhouse, a railroad lift bridge, a canal turning basin, and a re-watered aqueduct. Lockhouse 44 is fully furnished on the lower level and is open to visitors periodically throughout the spring and summer. Visitors can step back in time to learn about what lock keepers did and how they lived. Inside the Cushwa Basin warehouse visitors will find interpretive exhibits and visitor information. The Trolley Barn at Cushwa Basin features hands-on activities for children and replica historic toys. Days and times may vary for boat tours and visitation to Lockhouse 44 and the Trolley Barn. Visit the Park’s website for more information.
Mile Marker 99.6 Conococheague Aqueduct
Completed in 1834, the Conococheague Aqueduct was built of limestone from nearby quarries. The aqueduct has three equal arch spans. Both armies launched raids against the aqueduct during the Civil War. Years later, the berm wall collapsed early on the morning of April 20, 1920. The boat traveling across the aqueduct fell into the Conococheague Creek and remained there until the 1936 flood carried it down the Potomac. A full restoration of the aqueduct was completed in 2019. Canal launch boat rides across the re-watered aqueduct are offered seasonally. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Mile Marker 108.9 Lockhouse 49
Experience life on the Canal with an overnight stay at Lockhouse 49, part of the Canal Quarters program. Lockhouse 49 is a two-story lockhouse furnished in the 1920s time period that tells the story of the canal community at Four Locks. With four canal locks located so closely together, the community was truly a canal community with stores, warehouses, a dry dock for boat repair, a school, a post office and a dozen houses. Learn how you can spend the night in this lockhouse here.
Mile Marker 116.1 Licking Creek Aqueduct
The 90-foot, single-span aqueduct was described by the C&O Canal Company in 1839 as “one of the longest, if not the longest, aqueduct arch which has been constructed in the United States.” Constructed between 1836 and 1838, the structure is largely built of limestone and cement transported from nearby Hook’s mill, just across the river from Hancock. The aqueduct was first used in 1839 when the canal was watered from Dam no. 6 down to Dam no. 5. This was the same year canal operations began in the town of Hancock. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Mile Marker 122.8 Bowles House/Hancock Visitor Center
The historic Bowles House is open seasonally as the C&O Canal Visitor Center in Hancock. The house was built in the 1780s as a one-story structure overlooking the Potomac. The parcel of land, known as “Sarah’s Fancy,” was transferred from Lord Baltimore to William Yates around 1775. The Yates family occupied the house during canal construction until 1875, when it was acquired by the Bowles family. They remained in the house until 1905. Visitors can enjoy sitting on the front porch and, on occasion, may have the treat of hearing a ranger or local resident play banjo or acoustic guitar. Visit the Park’s website for more information and hours.
Mile Marker 123.0 Tonoloway Aqueduct
Constructed between 1835 and 1839 of limestone extracted upstream on Tonoloway Creek, Tonoloway Aqueduct carried canal boats across Tonoloway Creek, a 31-mile tributary of the Potomac River. Cement for the aqueduct came from Captain Hook’s mill but during a water shortage in the summer of 1837, cement was imported from Boteler’s Mill and Baltimore. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
West: Hancock to Cumberland
Mile Marker 136.6 Sideling Hill Creek Aqueduct
The Sideling Hill Creek Aqueduct was built between 1837 and 1840, primarily using Tonoloway Limestone from the quarry at the mouth of the Cacapon River, as well as Pocono sandstone rubble from Sideling Hill. The aqueduct has a single arch with a 70-foot span. The creek marks the boundary between Washington and Allegany Counties. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Mile Marker 140.9 Fifteenmile Creek Aqueduct
The Fifteen Mile Creek Aqueduct is a small, single-arch aqueduct. Built between 1838 and 1850, it is in excellent condition for a century and a half old structure. It was constructed with hard flint stone quarried at Sideling Hill on the West Virginia side of the river. In 1842, during construction, the canal company ran out of funds and work was suspended for a time, but finally, work was completed and the aqueduct began service in 1850. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Mile Marker 155.0 Paw Paw Tunnel
It took 12 years and nearly all of the Canal Company’s funds to complete the Paw Paw Tunnel, but it opened to traffic on October 10, 1850. The tunnel was built to save five miles of construction by cutting across a neck of land formed by the Paw Paw bends. What resulted was the most notable landmark on the Canal—at three-fifths of a mile and 5,800,000 bricks in all.
Mile Marker 162.4 Town Creek Aqueduct
Town Creek Aqueduct is a single-span aqueduct. Construction began in 1837 and was abandoned in 1838 when the contractor quit during the Canal company’s financial crisis. It was completed during the final phase of C&O Canal construction (1848-1850) by Michael Byrne. It is the tenth of eleven aqueducts on the Canal and, like many of the other eleven, is missing its upstream wall. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
Mile Marker 180.7 Evitts Creek Aqueduct
The Evitts Creek Aqueduct is the last of the 11 aqueducts on the Canal, and is made of “Fossilferous Tonoloway Limestone” quarried upstream and shipped to the aqueduct via a 1.5 mile railroad. Work began in 1839 and was completed in 1841 when the Canal Company ran out of funds, with final touches and service beginning in 1850. Learn more about the C&O Canal’s aqueducts here.
13 Canal St., Cumberland “The Cumberland” Canal Boat Replica
Visitors can tour “The Cumberland,” a full-sized replica canal boat constructed in 1976. Guides in period clothing interpret the history of the canal and daily life aboard a canal boat. Visitors can also tour the mule shed, hay house and furnished Captain’s cabin. Visit the Park’s website for more information and hours.
Written by: Charissa Hipp
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Eleven aqueducts stand along the C&O Canal – some of the most impressive of the canal structures that stand today. Aqueducts transported the canal over streams and tributaries. Several have been rebuilt, including the Conococheague Aqueduct in Williamsport, which is watered and is one of the only places in the country where you can ride a boat over an aqueduct. The eleven aqueducts are all different – the stone they were constructed with varies, including red sandstone, grey limestone, white granite, white and pink quartzite. Some have fallen apart and exist only as ruins, while others have been lovingly restored by the National Park Service to their former glory. All stand testament to the engineering ingenuity and devoted labor that went into their construction and the important role they played in the growth of our country. Read More
