Davis Island Lock & Dam - Pennsylvania Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Long Description:


Here's a picture of the Davis Island Lock and Dam, which is far more interesting than the location of the historic marker that commemorates the very first dam on the Ohio River. I drive past this marker each day on my commute. It's always bugged me to see a historic marker next to a restaurant parking lot, with absolutely nothing to see. Finally I stopped to take the required photos. I walked to the back of the parking lot to take pictures of the river from this spot. You can see the West End Water Authority's sewage treatment plant from here! Woo hoo. I resisted the urge to place a keyholder on the guardrail.

Anyways, locks and dams are important things in Pittsburgh's history. Prior to the interstates, before the railroads, the rivers were the highways, and the locks made them navigable by creating pools. This area is called the "Emsworth Pool," named after the Emsworth Dam.

Here is the Marker Text:

"Below this bridge was the first lock and dam built (1878-1885) on the Ohio River. This was the world's largest movable dam yet constructed, and included the world's first rolling lock gate and widest lock chamber. Built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; replaced by the nearby Emsworth Locks and Dams in 1922."

Marker Name: Davis Island Rock & Dam (sic) County: Allegheny Date Dedicated: 07/04/1987 Marker Type: Roadside Location: Pa. 65 at E borough line, Avalon Category: Environment Website: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.

Please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   5/19/2007 Mr. 0 visited it 7/22/2006 Red Shoe & The Navigator visited it

View all visits/logs