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 […]
Lock 52
Lock 52 was built so close to the Tonoloway Creek aqueduct, they should have been built as one structure. The ruins of both are within a short distance from Bowles […]
Lock 51
Lock 51 was completed by William Story in the fall of 1838. This lock was predominantly built using gray limestone, however the lock itself shows many signs of being rebuilt […]
Licking Creek Aqueduct
Built between 1836 and 1838, the Licking Creek aqueduct is the first of six single-arch aqueducts on the line of the canal and the longest of the Canal’s aqueducts. The […]
Lockhouse 49: Canal Quarters
Lockhouse 49 is part of the Canal Quarters program and is available for overnight stays! You and up to 7 friends can spend up to three nights here, experiencing life on […]
Lock 50
Lock 49 and Four Locks
By Ranger Lisa: Walking through Four Locks, I am reminded of my childhood growing up in the Army. Each new post introduced me to a new close-knit community, new friends, […]
Lock 48
Lock 47
Four Locks
Built between 1836 and 1839, these four locks (47, 48, 49 & 50) are made of blue-gray limestone from Prather’s Quarry. Together raising the canal approximately 32 feet, boats could […]
Lock 46
Lock 45
Middlekauff’s Dam/Labor Riot
Upstream from the bridge over Little Conococheauge Creek is a stone dam providing a head of water for Middlekauff’s Mill. Near the dam is a hill where an ‘Irish Civil […]
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. As soon as the dam was built, Edward Colston […]
Conococheague Aqueduct
The Conococheague Aqueduct is a watered and fully operational aqueduct in Williamsport. It has three 60 -foot arches and is 196 feet long, making it the second longest aqueduct on […]
Bollman Bridge
Patapsco Bridge and Iron Works built the present road bridge crossing, Bollman Bridge, with Wendall Bollman as their chief, in 1879. Bollman was a self-taught engineer who started at the […]
Williamsport
Centrally located along the C&O Canal, Williamsport, Maryland is a thriving small town and bustling area for locals and tourists alike. It also has a rich history. The town’s location […]
Lock 44
The gray and white limestone Lock 44 is located adjacent to downtown Williamsport, with an earthen dyke that leads over to Main Street. Those who are interested in Canal infrastructure […]
Lockhouse 44
When you walk the towpath near Lockhouse 44 in Williamsport, ponder those whose footsteps you’re following. Tens of thousands have walked here before you, including barefoot 10-year old mule drivers […]
Lock 43
Located just upstream from the Canal’s midpoint, Lock 43 was constructed of blue-gray limestone. A white-washed brick lockhouse is still standing near the site.
Lock 42
Locks 41 and 42 are located at the north end of a calm stretch of Potomac River aptly named “Big Slackwater.” Depending on which direction a Canal boat was headed, locks […]
Lock 41
Locks 41 and 42 are located at the north end of a calm stretch of Potomac River aptly named “Big Slackwater.” Depending on which direction a Canal boat was headed, locks […]
McMahon’s Mill
McMahon’s Mill, which has also been known through the years as Charles Mill, Cedar Grove Mill, Shaffer’s Old Flouring Mills and Avis Mill, used a steel wheel in the early […]
Washington Monument State Park
Named for the first completed monument dedicated to the memory of George Washington, Washington Monument State Park is located in Washington County, Maryland at the top of South Mountain. Citizens […]
Lock 40
Lock 39
Shepherdstown
The oldest town in West Virginia, Shepherdstown pre-dates the Revolutionary War. It is a quaint town filled with artisanal shops and eateries and is home to Shepherd University, which adds […]
Lock 38 (Shepherdstown River Lock)
The Shepherdstown River Lock is one of only three river locks on the Canal. Built from gray limestone and meant to draw traffic from the Virginia side of the Potomac […]
Shepherdstown River Lock
The Shepherdstown River Lock is one of only three river locks on the Canal. Built from gray limestone and meant to draw traffic from the Virginia side of the Potomac […]
Antietam Creek and Aqueduct
Running south from Pennsylvania, Antietam Creek is another large tributary feeding the Potomac River. Just three miles upstream from its meeting with the Potomac, Antietam Creek passes through the town […]
Lock 37 (Mountain Lock)
Lock 36
This gray limestone lock is located just down the hill from the former Fort Duncan, built in 1862 by the Army of the Potomac to protect Harpers Ferry. Harpers Ferry […]
Fort Duncan
“The view from the top of the mountain is magnificent and will well repay any lover of the grand and beautiful in nature for the exertion necessary to climb to […]
Remains of Dam 3
In 1799, a dam was created here to serve the armory at Harpers Ferry. Its use of natural rock supports created a unique zig-zag structure across the river. Unfortunately, the […]
Guard Lock for Dam 3
Just upstream from the Dam No. 3 site, you’ll find the remains of the guard lock for the dam. Made of gray limestone, this inlet lock also acted as a […]
Lock 35
Lock 34
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
The town of Harpers Ferry, wedged below high ridgelines and tightly packed on a small point of land at the confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah, is rich in […]
Lock 33
Lock 33 of the Canal was a place of commerce situated close to the town of Harpers Ferry, just across the Potomac from town. The lock also sits below Maryland […]
Harpers Ferry & Bolivar
Harpers Ferry is located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers where Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia meet. This junction of two rivers made it a natural site […]