Whitewater Canal
Encyclopedia
The Whitewater Canal, which was built between 1836 and 1847, spanned a distance of seventy-six miles and stretched from Lawrenceburg, Indiana
on the Ohio River
to Hagerstown, Indiana
.
during the early nineteenth century, industry paved the way within individual states. After successful canal
development projects further east in the United States
, it would not be long until canals would soon be dug across the Midwest. The opening of the Erie Canal
in 1825 paved the way for improvement projects across the United States and changed the course of American transportation history. The Erie Canal was an immediate financial success. This really set the precedent for future canals and proved canals could provide a viable contribution to local economies.
Amidst all of this there was the need for a high-speed transportation system that could link the Whitewater Valley to the Ohio River. Before the canal, farmers had to transport their goods and livestock to Cincinnati, Ohio
on badly rutted and often impassable roads. The journey to Cincinnati could take several days.
In 1836 the Indiana State Legislature
approved the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, which allowed for the development of the Whitewater Canal and a host of other improvements throughout Indiana.
Because of the steep grade the canal required 56 locks and seven dams.
The canal was started as a state project and ground was broken on September 13, 1836. The first boat arrived in Brookville from Lawrenceburg on June 8, 1839. Because of budget problems construction was suspended in August 1839 not to be resumed until 1842.
In 1842 the state of Indiana transferred it's ownership in the canal to the White Water Valley Canal Company which was required to complete the canal to Cambridge City in five years. By 1843 boats were arriving in Laurel. 1845 saw the canal operating into Connersville. The canal company was running out of money and borrowed from Henry Valette of Cincinnati to finish the canal into Cambridge City from Connersville. From Cambridge City to Hagerstown the Canal was built by the Hagerstown Canal Company and was finished in 1847.
In November 1847 the Whitewater Valley flooded and many sections of the canal were washed out. The section between Harrison and Lawrenceburg was never rebuilt. This effectively ended the canal era in Lawrenceburg after only eight years of service, and only a few months after the canal was finished to Hagerstown. It was ten months before the canal was again operational north of Harrison. Debt incurred to finance repairs in 1847 were a serious problem for the rest of the canals active history.
.
Company and has been used in various train operations over the years. A section of the rail line is still in use as a tourist railroad. The Whitewater Valley Railroad operates between Connersville, Indiana
and Metamora, Indiana
. The remains of many of the canal locks on this section of the canal can still be seen as well as the diversion dam near Laurel, Indiana
that was rebuilt in the 1940's and provides water for the restored canal section in Metamora as well as the mill.The restored grain mill in Metamora which runs on water provided by the canal shows that transportation was not the only use of the canal. Hydro power was in use for many decades after the canal was closed as a transportation route and even was used to generate electricity in Connersville in the early part of the 20th century.
The most visible area of the Whitewater Canal that exists today is in Metamora. Here the Canal Era is recreated and tourists can stroll through a nineteenth century town. There are museums, shopping, eateries, and you can even take a horse drawn ride on the canal.
carries the canal over Duck Creek at Metamora. It is the oldest covered wooden aqueduct in the United States, and was listed as a National Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE) in 1992.
Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...
on the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
to Hagerstown, Indiana
Hagerstown, Indiana
Hagerstown is a town in Jefferson Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,787.-Geography:Hagerstown is located at ....
.
Birth of a canal
As with most transportation improvementsInternal improvements
Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canals, harbors and navigation improvements...
during the early nineteenth century, industry paved the way within individual states. After successful canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
development projects further east in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it would not be long until canals would soon be dug across the Midwest. The opening of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
in 1825 paved the way for improvement projects across the United States and changed the course of American transportation history. The Erie Canal was an immediate financial success. This really set the precedent for future canals and proved canals could provide a viable contribution to local economies.
Amidst all of this there was the need for a high-speed transportation system that could link the Whitewater Valley to the Ohio River. Before the canal, farmers had to transport their goods and livestock to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
on badly rutted and often impassable roads. The journey to Cincinnati could take several days.
In 1836 the Indiana State Legislature
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...
approved the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, which allowed for the development of the Whitewater Canal and a host of other improvements throughout Indiana.
Construction
The Whitewater Canal was built based on a 1834 survey conducted by Charles Hutchens. The design called for a canal seventy six miles long starting at Nettle Creek near Hagerstown and following the river valley through Connersville, Brookville and into Harrison, Ohio, then back into Indiana to finish at Lawrenceburg. In the 76 miles (122.3 km) the canal dropped 491 feet (149.7 m). This a very ambitious route as it was quite steep and required the crossing of the Whitewater over an aqueduct at Laurel as well as several other streams of lesser size. The 491 feet (149.7 m) drop compares the Erie Canal which dropped 500 feet (152.4 m) but did so in 300 miles (482.8 km). The Wabash & Erie Canal dropped 450 feet (137.2 m) in 460 miles (740.3 km) while the Chesapeake & Ohio dropped 538 feet (164 m) in 184 miles (296.1 km). That meant that the Whitewater descended 6.4 feet per mile compared to the Chesapeake & Ohio at 2.9 feet per mile, the Erie at 1.7 feet per mile and the Wabash & Erie at 1 foot per mile. The steepness became a problem whenever heavy rains came.Because of the steep grade the canal required 56 locks and seven dams.
The canal was started as a state project and ground was broken on September 13, 1836. The first boat arrived in Brookville from Lawrenceburg on June 8, 1839. Because of budget problems construction was suspended in August 1839 not to be resumed until 1842.
In 1842 the state of Indiana transferred it's ownership in the canal to the White Water Valley Canal Company which was required to complete the canal to Cambridge City in five years. By 1843 boats were arriving in Laurel. 1845 saw the canal operating into Connersville. The canal company was running out of money and borrowed from Henry Valette of Cincinnati to finish the canal into Cambridge City from Connersville. From Cambridge City to Hagerstown the Canal was built by the Hagerstown Canal Company and was finished in 1847.
Canal decline
The Whitewater Canal was a short venture, but it left a lasting mark on the communities it traveled through. The canal development project was funded under the Act of 1836 and was allotted $1,400,000 to build the canal through the Whitewater Valley. This was a huge sum at the time and investors did not take out many loans due to the prediction that they stood to make considerable profit. In fact it was the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act of 1836 that ended up straining the coffers of the State of Indiana. Indiana went bankrupt during the summer of 1839. Therefore, canal construction was halted till 1842.In November 1847 the Whitewater Valley flooded and many sections of the canal were washed out. The section between Harrison and Lawrenceburg was never rebuilt. This effectively ended the canal era in Lawrenceburg after only eight years of service, and only a few months after the canal was finished to Hagerstown. It was ten months before the canal was again operational north of Harrison. Debt incurred to finance repairs in 1847 were a serious problem for the rest of the canals active history.
White Water Valley Canal Company
The White Water Valley Canal Company was granted a charter by the Indiana General Assembly of 1825-26. The company was set up after the State of Indiana could no longer afford to finish the Whitewater Canal system. The White Water Valley Canal Company finished the canal through Cambridge City, IndianaCambridge City, Indiana
Cambridge City is a town in Jackson Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,870 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cambridge City is located at ....
.
Hagerstown Canal Company
Hagerstown was supposed to be the northern most terminus of the Whitewater Canal, but after the state went bankrupt, Hagerstown was forced to finance and construct its own canal to Cambridge City. The Hagerstown Canal Company completed an eight-mile (13 km) long canal between Hagerstown and Cambridge City in 1847.Cincinnati And Whitewater Canal
A connecting canal was built to reach Cincinnati, The Cincinnati and Whitewater Canal. This canal was built by Ohio interests and went from Harrison to Cincinnati. It was completed in 1843 and replaced Lawrenceburg as the end of the line after the 1847 November flood. This stretch of canal closed in 1862 and was used as a railroad right-of-way at that time.The Whitewater Canal today
Little is left of the Whitewater Canal today. Some towpath was bought by the Whitewater Valley RailroadWhitewater Valley Railroad
The Whitewater Valley Railroad is a heritage railroad in Indiana.The railroad is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of a 1970s era of branch line railroading. It is now operated by vintage diesel switchers during most of the year. Steam operations occur on or around labor day each year...
Company and has been used in various train operations over the years. A section of the rail line is still in use as a tourist railroad. The Whitewater Valley Railroad operates between Connersville, Indiana
Connersville, Indiana
At the 2000 census, there were 15,411 people, 6,382 households and 4,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,894.5 per square mile . There were 6,974 housing units at an average density of 857.3 per square mile...
and Metamora, Indiana
Metamora, Indiana
Metamora is an unincorporated town in Metamora Township, Franklin County, Indiana. The town was once a stop along the Whitewater Canal and is now primarily dependent on tourism.-Geography:Metamora is located at .Metamora was platted in 1838...
. The remains of many of the canal locks on this section of the canal can still be seen as well as the diversion dam near Laurel, Indiana
Laurel, Indiana
Laurel is a town in Laurel Township, Franklin County, Indiana, United States. The population was 512 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Laurel is located at ....
that was rebuilt in the 1940's and provides water for the restored canal section in Metamora as well as the mill.The restored grain mill in Metamora which runs on water provided by the canal shows that transportation was not the only use of the canal. Hydro power was in use for many decades after the canal was closed as a transportation route and even was used to generate electricity in Connersville in the early part of the 20th century.
The most visible area of the Whitewater Canal that exists today is in Metamora. Here the Canal Era is recreated and tourists can stroll through a nineteenth century town. There are museums, shopping, eateries, and you can even take a horse drawn ride on the canal.
Civil Engineering Landmark status
An aqueductAqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
carries the canal over Duck Creek at Metamora. It is the oldest covered wooden aqueduct in the United States, and was listed as a National Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
(ASCE) in 1992.
Towns along the canal
- Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
- by way of Cincinnati and Whitewater Canal and Ohio River - Harrison, OhioHarrison, OhioHarrison is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The city is located in the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan area. The population was 7,487 as of the 2000 census.-History:...
- Lawrenceburg, IndianaLawrenceburg, IndianaLawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...
- Brookville, IndianaBrookville, IndianaBrookville is a town in Brookville Township, Franklin County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,625 at the 2000 census. The town is the county seat of Franklin County.-Geography:...
- Metamora, IndianaMetamora, IndianaMetamora is an unincorporated town in Metamora Township, Franklin County, Indiana. The town was once a stop along the Whitewater Canal and is now primarily dependent on tourism.-Geography:Metamora is located at .Metamora was platted in 1838...
- Laurel, IndianaLaurel, IndianaLaurel is a town in Laurel Township, Franklin County, Indiana, United States. The population was 512 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Laurel is located at ....
- Connersville, IndianaConnersville, IndianaAt the 2000 census, there were 15,411 people, 6,382 households and 4,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,894.5 per square mile . There were 6,974 housing units at an average density of 857.3 per square mile...
- Milton, IndianaMilton, IndianaMilton is a town in Washington Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. The population was 490 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Milton is located at ....
- Cambridge City, IndianaCambridge City, IndianaCambridge City is a town in Jackson Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,870 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cambridge City is located at ....
- Hagerstown, IndianaHagerstown, IndianaHagerstown is a town in Jefferson Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,787.-Geography:Hagerstown is located at ....
See also
- CanalCanalCanals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
- List of canals in the United States
- List of State Historic Sites in Indiana
- Whitewater Valley RailroadWhitewater Valley RailroadThe Whitewater Valley Railroad is a heritage railroad in Indiana.The railroad is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of a 1970s era of branch line railroading. It is now operated by vintage diesel switchers during most of the year. Steam operations occur on or around labor day each year...
- Wabash and Erie CanalWabash and Erie CanalThe Wabash and Erie Canal was a shipping canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Ohio River via an artificial waterway. The canal provided traders with access from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico...
- Indiana Central CanalIndiana Central CanalThe Indiana Central Canal was a canal intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River. It was funded by the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, Indiana's attempt to take part in the canal-building craze, started by the Erie Canal. $3.5 million was allocated for the project, the...
- Indiana Mammoth Improvement Act
External links
- Canal Map - Link with Map (link may be broken)
- Canal Construction in Indiana - The Indiana Historian, September 1997
- Canal Society of Indiana
- White Water Valley Railroad
- Cincinnati and Whitewater Canal