This canal connected Lake Erie with the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania. I knew of two canals in Ohio (Miami & Erie and Ohio & Erie) and one in Indiana (Wabash & Erie) between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, but I did not know of this one. I learned of this canal while researching the Shenango Dam.
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| Brochure via LoC |
The canal cut the travel time for passengers between Erie and Pittsburgh to 36 hours. [0:26 video @ 0:08]
It was finished in 1841. [0:26 video @ 0:08]
It was finished in 1844. (All the other sources that I read agree with 1844.) The canal was built North from Beaver to Erie. It needed 137 locks. [ErieHistory]
It was 136 miles long. The 137 locks handled an elevation difference of 977' (300m). The 91 mile (146km) east/west Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal connected this canal at New Castle, PA, with the Ohio & Erie Canal. [blogspot]
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| ErieHistory "At Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, lock #10, the only remaining lock, now has a walking trail through it." [This explains why I could not find it in a satellite image, it is obviously covered by a tree canopy. I think it is along the Trout Island Trail.] |
"In 1873, the destruction of an aqueduct across Elk Creek Gorge which had allowed canal boats to cross the deep river gorge spelled the end of the Erie Extension Canal. Some believed that railroad designers had deliberately caused its destruction. Railroads were becoming the preferred transportation of the period; the canal beds provided the perfect basis for the railroad bed." [memory]
The aqueduct was 500' (152m) long and 100' (30m) above the creek. This source put the collapse in Sep 1871. [blogspot]
Given this map, the aqueduct was here.
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| Map |
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| blogspot and ErieHistory |
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| blogspot |
The Canal Museum in Greenville, PA, is at the location of Lock #22. (Greenville also has a railroad museum.)
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