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C&O Ship Canel - Potomac River

C&O Ship Canel - Potomac River

Mary (View posts)
Posted: 4 Jul 2002 4:15PM GMT
Classification: Query
Is anyone working on the C&O Ship Canel which runs something like 184 miles from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington D.C.....on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Passes places such as Harpers Ferry, Falls Church, etc.

On our recent vacation, we saw parts of this canel, and I am interested in life along it during its heyday. I understand a lot of the canel boats were built at Cumberland, Maryland.....that something like 2,000 mules were used to pull the boats....that an industrial revolution took place along this canel at places such as Harpers Ferry (the Arms factories of the Federal Government).....tons of coal moved on this canel....

just wondered if anyone else might be interested in the canel say 1820s to Civil War time.

I know George Washington lost a lot of money trying to build a canel......

Mary hlm@qtm.net

Re: C&O Ship Canel - Potomac River

Posted: 1 Sep 2002 10:59AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 6 Feb 2003 11:36AM GMT
I own the book titled I Drove Mules on the C & O canel. It has a lot of people, places and history in it. It was written by Hooper Wolf from Williamsport, Md. If I can look anything up in it for you please contact me at nettiemarie234@aol.com

Re: C&O Ship Canel - Potomac River

Posted: 20 Mar 2009 12:41AM GMT
Classification: Query
I once lived near that area. The only thing I remember about the Canal was that it cost something ungodly, like 1,000 lives a foot (might have been 100, still too high). Many were Irish immigrants.

~D
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