Whitewater Canal facts for kids
The Whitewater Canal was a waterway built a long time ago, between 1836 and 1847. It stretched for 76 miles (about 122 kilometers) from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, on the Ohio River, all the way to Hagerstown, Indiana. It helped people and goods travel across the state.
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History of the Whitewater Canal
Why Was the Canal Built?
In the early 1800s, people needed better ways to move things around. After successful canals were built in the eastern United States, like the famous Erie Canal in 1825, other states wanted them too. The Erie Canal made a lot of money. This showed everyone that canals could really help local economies grow.
Farmers in the Whitewater Valley needed a faster way to get their crops and animals to markets. Before the canal, they had to use bumpy, muddy roads. A trip to Cincinnati could take many days. So, a faster way to connect the Whitewater Valley to the Ohio River was badly needed.
In 1836, the Indiana State Legislature passed a big plan called the Indiana Mammoth Internal Improvement Act. This plan allowed for the building of the Whitewater Canal and many other improvements across Indiana.
How Was the Canal Built?
The Whitewater Canal was designed to be 76 miles long. It started near Hagerstown and followed the river valley. It went through towns like Connersville and Brookville. Then it went into Harrison, Ohio, and back into Indiana to end at Lawrenceburg.
Over its 76 miles, the canal dropped 491 feet (about 150 meters). This was a very steep path for a canal! For example, the Erie Canal dropped about the same amount, but over 300 miles. This meant the Whitewater Canal went downhill much faster per mile. Because it was so steep, the canal needed 56 special water elevators called locks. It also needed seven dams to control the water.
Building the canal began on September 13, 1836. The first boat arrived in Brookville from Lawrenceburg on June 8, 1839. However, the state ran into money problems. Construction had to stop in August 1839. It didn't start again until 1842.
In 1842, the state of Indiana gave control of the canal to a private company. This was the White Water Valley Canal Company. They had to finish the canal to Cambridge City within five years. By 1843, boats were reaching Laurel. In 1845, the canal was working all the way to Connersville. The company borrowed money to finish the canal to Cambridge City. The last part, from Cambridge City to Hagerstown, was built by the Hagerstown Canal Company. It was finished in 1847.
Why the Canal Didn't Last Long
The Whitewater Canal was used for only a short time. But it changed the towns it passed through. The state had set aside a lot of money for the canal, about $1,400,000. This was a huge amount back then.
However, the big plan to improve Indiana, the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act of 1836, cost too much. The State of Indiana ran out of money and went bankrupt in the summer of 1839. This is why canal building stopped for a few years.
In November 1847, the Whitewater Valley had a big flood. Many parts of the canal were washed away. The section between Harrison and Lawrenceburg was never rebuilt. This meant the canal era in Lawrenceburg ended after only eight years. This happened just a few months after the canal was finally finished to Hagerstown. It took ten months for the canal to work again north of Harrison. The money needed for repairs after the 1847 flood caused serious problems for the canal's remaining years.
White Water Valley Canal Company
The White Water Valley Canal Company was formed after the state of Indiana could no longer afford to finish the canal. This company helped complete the canal through Cambridge City, Indiana. They also built the Canal House in Connersville in 1842. This building is now a historic landmark.
Hagerstown Canal Company
Hagerstown was supposed to be the very end of the Whitewater Canal. But when the state ran out of money, Hagerstown had to pay for and build its own canal section. The Hagerstown Canal Company finished an eight-mile (13 km) canal between Hagerstown and Cambridge City in 1847.
Cincinnati And Whitewater Canal
A separate canal was built to connect to Cincinnati. It was called the Cincinnati and Whitewater Canal. This canal was built by people in Ohio. It went from Harrison to Cincinnati. It was finished in 1843. After the 1847 flood, this canal became the main way to reach Cincinnati. This part of the canal closed in 1862. It was then used for a railroad track. A tunnel built for this canal near Cleves, Ohio still exists today, though it's filled with dirt.
The Whitewater Canal Today
Quick facts for kids |
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Whitewater Canal Historic District
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Gordons Lock, September 2007
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | From Laurel Feeder Dam to Brookville, Laurel Township, Metamora Township, Franklin County, Indiana, and Metamora, Indiana |
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| Area | 234 acres (95 ha) |
| Built | 1836 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000272 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1973 |
Not much of the original Whitewater Canal is left today. Some of the old path where horses walked to pull boats is now used by the Whitewater Valley Railroad. This railroad still runs as a tourist attraction between Connersville, Indiana and Metamora, Indiana.
You can still see the remains of many canal locks along this section. Also, the dam near Laurel, Indiana was rebuilt in the 1940s. It provides water for a restored part of the canal in Metamora. This water also powers a working grain mill in Metamora. This shows that canals were not just for transportation. They also provided power for mills and even generated electricity later on.
The best place to see the Whitewater Canal today is in Metamora. This section, from the Laurel Feeder Dam to Brookville, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It's called the Whitewater Canal Historic District. Here, you can experience what the canal era was like. There are museums, shops, and places to eat. You can even take a ride on a horse-drawn boat on the canal!
A Special Engineering Landmark
An aqueduct is like a bridge that carries water. One such aqueduct carries the canal over Duck Creek at Metamora. The original wooden aqueduct was built in 1846. It was rebuilt in the 1900s after a flood. In 1992, this aqueduct was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. This was done by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Cities Along the Canal
Here are some of the cities that were connected by the Whitewater Canal:
- Cincinnati, Ohio (by way of the Cincinnati and Whitewater Canal and Ohio River)
- Harrison, Ohio
- Lawrenceburg, Indiana
- Brookville, Indiana
- Metamora, Indiana
- Laurel, Indiana
- Connersville, Indiana
- Milton, Indiana
- Cambridge City, Indiana
- Hagerstown, Indiana
Images for kids
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Duck Creek Aqueduct
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Canal near Duck Creek Aqueduct
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Canal near Metamora, Indiana
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Gordons Lock
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Gordons Lock
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Jenks Lock Ruins at Laurel Dam
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Diversion dam at Laurel
