Lock Seventeen, Ohio facts for kids
Lock Seventeen is a small, quiet place located in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, in the United States. It's known as an "unincorporated community." This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county, which handles services like roads and police.
A Look Back at Lock Seventeen
How Lock Seventeen Got Its Name
The history of Lock Seventeen is quite interesting! It all started because of a canal. Canals are like man-made rivers that help boats travel across land. They often connect bigger rivers or lakes. In 1829, a special part of the canal was built nearby. This part was called a "lock."
A canal lock is like a water elevator for boats. It helps boats move between different water levels in a canal. Imagine a boat needing to go uphill or downhill on the water. A lock uses gates to raise or lower the water level inside a chamber, allowing the boat to move smoothly. The lock built near this community was known as Lock Seventeen, and that's how the area got its unique name!
The Old Post Office
Years later, in 1862, a post office was opened in Lock Seventeen. This was a very important place for the community. People could send and receive letters and packages, connecting them to the outside world. The post office served the residents for many years. However, it eventually closed its doors in 1895. Even though the post office is gone, the name "Lock Seventeen" still reminds everyone of its canal history.
