Canal Towns Spotlight: Harpers Ferry & Bolivar
Harpers Ferry and Bolivar Harpers Ferry and Bolivar have been an epicenter of historic activity since their founding. Today, visitors can immerse themselves in the historic fabric of these towns […]
10 Things You Can Do on the C&O Canal When It’s Cold Outside
It’s February, and spring is still weeks away. Sometimes the month brings a lot of snow; other times, there’s none. Below, we bring you 10 of our favorite things to do at […]
C&O Canal Trust To Assist C&O Canal National Historical Park in Shutdown Recovery Efforts
With the re-opening of the government, the C&O Canal Trust, the official nonprofit partner to the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP), will be working closely with Park staff in […]
The Birds of the C&O Canal
January 5 is National Bird Day, the perfect time to share with you the results of the 2018 C&O Canal Bird Count, which was conducted in January and February 2018 […]
Your C&O Canal-Themed New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year to everyone! With the holidays behind us, we now turn to achieving those New Year’s resolutions. Here are some C&O Canal-inspired resolution ideas for you:
Volunteer Efforts Invaluable to C&O Canal
The Trust is able to make a positive impact along the 184.5-mile length of the Park only with the support of our donors and the help of committed volunteers. In […]
Robert Mertz Recognized for Service to C&O Canal
Longtime Park and Trust volunteer and former Trust Board Member Robert Mertz won the George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding individual Volunteer Service for the National Capital Region for […]
Trust Launches New Five-Year Strategic Plan
Following a yearlong process, the C&O Canal Trust has launched its new strategic plan, covering 2019 to 2023, that lays out ambitious but achievable goals to strengthen private support for […]
Fighting Floods at Swains
The C&O Canal Trust is rehabilitating Swains Lockhouse to prepare it to join the Canal Quarters program. Former residents of this lockhouse, the Swain family, have decades of memories from […]
2019 Annual Calendar Featuring the C&O Canal Now Available
Enjoy the beautiful vistas of the C&O Canal National Historical Park all year long with our 2019 Annual Calendar.
Changes at Swains
The C&O Canal Trust is rehabilitating Swains Lockhouse at Lock 21 to become the newest addition to the Canal Quarters program. Bert Swain, who lived at Lock 21 from 1957-1980, […]
Enter Your Canal Photos in Our Monthly Photo Contest
Get out your cameras! The C&O Canal Trust sponsors a monthly photo contest highlighting the best photos you have taken of the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
Protecting the Past in the Face of Floods
Flood History With its location along the Potomac River, it’s not a matter of if the C&O Canal and its lockhouses will be flooded but when. The Canal has experienced […]
C&O Canal Trust to Host Annual Park After Dark Benefit to Support the C&O Canal National Historical Park
The C&O Canal Trust will be hosting its Eighth Annual Park After Dark gala event on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. to benefit the C&O Canal National Historical […]
Furnishing Lockhouse 21
Canal Quarters Program The Canal Quarters program hosts visitors for overnight stays in lockhouses to deepen their appreciation for the Canal’s history. Each lockhouse has been furnished to represent a […]
A few photos from the Swains rehab
Here are some recent shots of the progress being made at Swains Lockhouse! The contractor is 40% finished. They have completed the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work on the first floor […]
Why Fish Need Ladders
Fish was a principle food source for early settlers in Maryland and Virginia. As settlements began to creep westward, the demand for fish meant that this valuable food source also […]
C&O Canal Trust Announces C&O Canal Giving Days During National Park Week April 21-29, 2018
The C&O Canal Trust will be holding its first-ever C&O Canal Giving Days April 21-29, 2018, coinciding with National Park Week. C&O Canal Giving Days is an opportunity for the […]
Work at Swains is finally beginning!
Two years ago, we announced the rehabilitation of Swains Lockhouse and successfully raised $75,000 for the project. Well, the wheels of historic preservation sometime turn slowly, and we encountered several […]
C&O Canal Trust to Host Clean Up Event in C&O Canal National Historical Park to Mark MLK Day of Service January 15
The C&O Canal Trust will be hosting a clean-up event at Lock 8 in the C&O Canal National Historical Park to mark the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service […]
$3.45 Million Awarded to the C&O Canal for Canal Rewatering and Towpath Improvements
The C&O Canal National Historical Park was awarded $3.45 million from the Transportation Alternatives Program through the Maryland Department of Transportation, thanks to the vocal support of the C&O Canal […]
Daofeng & Angela Foundation Donates 15 Benches to the C&O Canal National Historical Park
The C&O Canal Trust will be installing 15 new benches in 2018 in the C&O Canal National Historical Park at popular access points between Swains Lock and Cumberland, thanks to […]
The Beautiful Fall Foliage of the C&O Canal
We are in the peak fall foliage season here in Maryland, and we have collected some of our favorite photos of the canal bursting with color! Where possible, we have linked the […]
C&O Canal’s Swains Lockhouse Rehabilitation Awarded $100,000 Centennial Challenge Grant
The C&O Canal Trust announced today that the National Park Service Centennial Challenge Program has provided a $100,000 matching grant to support the rehabilitation of Swains Lockhouse in Potomac. The […]
History of the Conococheague Aqueduct
The rehabilitation of the Conococheague Aqueduct in Williamsport has begun — you can learn more here! We thought it would be appropriate to take a look at the history of the aqueduct […]
C&O Canal Trust Launches New Mobile App to Help Visitors Explore C&O Canal National Historical Park
The C&O Canal Trust announces the release of its new mobile app, “C&O Canal Explorer,” to aid users in exploring the 184.5 miles and 20,000 acres of the C&O Canal […]
Join a Photography Talk and Walk with Steve Dean
As Aaron Siskind once said “Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever….It remembers little things, long after you […]
Enjoy Canal Town Shepherdstown during Theatre Festival July 7-30
Interested in a wild and wonderful combo of cutting-edge theater, outdoor adventure, and sight-seeing? If so, visit Shepherdstown, West Virginia in July!
Make a Splash at the C&O Canal National Historical Park
The C&O Canal National Historic Park has something for everyone when it comes to water activities. From a relaxing day of fishing on the Potomac River to kayaking along the […]
Canal Quarters Quartermasters honored with Best of Maryland Award
The volunteer Quartermasters responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the C&O Canal Trust’s Canal Quarters lockhouses have been honored with the Harrison Award for Volunteers at Preservation Maryland’s Best of […]
C&O Canal Trust Named ‘One of the Best’ Nonprofits by the Catalogue for Philanthropy
Following a competitive review, the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington has named the C&O Canal Trust one of the best nonprofits in the Washington, DC, area. To be included in […]
Maximize Your Gift! Make a Donation to the Trust on May 2 through Washington County Gives
May 2 is Washington County Gives. Your donation to the Trust will be matched whether you live in-county or not! Plus, join us on May 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 […]
10th Annual Canal Pride Events Announced
The C&O Canal Trust, in partnership with the C&O Canal National Historical Park, has announced the dates of their 10th annual C&O Canal Pride Days, the single largest volunteer event to take […]
1850s shop ledger provides peek into C&O Canal history
The archives of the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP) hold a merchant’s ledger (1856-1858) from Williamsport, MD that provides details about everyday life along the canal and insights into […]
Top Canal Town Attractions along the C&O Canal
Many Park visitors know that there are towns all along the towpath. Through-hikers and -bikers are especially fond of the local businesses that offer food, respite, bike repair, and a […]
Artwork Contest announced to celebrate Canal Pride program’s 10th anniversary
The C&O Canal Trust today announced a t-shirt artwork contest to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their Canal Pride events. Amateur artists are invited to create and submit artwork that […]
10 Discoveries Along the C&O Canal
The C&O Canal National Historical Park holds hundreds of secrets along its 184.5-mile length and is a wonderful place to explore both the natural and man-made worlds. In the Canal […]
World Bank has Canal Pride!
On December 1, sixteen volunteers from World Bank participated in a Canal Pride event where they worked on beautification and preservation projects at Great Falls. A small group of volunteers joined Billy […]
Hidden Hiking Gems of Great Falls
Everyone loves Billy Goat Trail Section A. Come down to Great Falls any weekend during the summer months and you’ll see a line of people stretching along the whole trail. […]
Clark Construction volunteers have Canal Pride!
The C&O Canal Trust thanks the 24 volunteers from Clark Construction who helped to remove overgrown vegetation from a historic wall along the towpath between Locks 33 and 34 this past Saturday, […]