Lock 29, Lander or Catoctin Lock - Near Point of Rocks, MD - Waterway Locks, Planes and Lifts on Waymarking.com

Along the Potomac, northwest of Point of Rocks, is Lock 29, also known as the Lander or Catoctin Locks of the old Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.

The C&O Canal runs along the north side of the Potomac River from Georgetown to Cumberland. This lock is located about 3 miles northwest of Point of Rocks. To get here, from U.S. 15, take MD Route 464 west to Lander Street on the left. Follow that road to the sign for the canal at a road. Follow the road across the railroad tracks to the parking lot. The lock and house are visible from the parking lot.

The most prominent feature at this site is the lockhouse. It is a 1 1/2 story structure made of wood on a stone structure. Nearby are two parallel features. The main feature is the large long ditch. The walls are lined with a smooth, light colored stone. None of the lock gates are present.

The C&O Canal was built in stages. There were a total of 75 locks along the canal. The numbers increase as you go upstream of the Potomac. This canal was an important mode of transportation from about 1834 through 1924. The canal boats were towed by mules. The locks were typically about 100 ft long, 16 ft wide and 15 ft deep. The boats were a few feet shorter than 100 ft.

There is a trail that runs all along the Chesapeake & Ohio National Historic Park. The trail comes out of the woods and runs by the locks.

Other Source:

National Park Service (C&O Canal National Historic Park):
(visit link)

Waterway Name: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (now defunk) Connected Points: Links the Potomac River below the fall line to Cumberland, Maryland. Type: Lock Date Opened: 04/01/1834 Date Closed (if applicable): 01/01/1924 Elevation Difference (meters): 2.00 Site Status: Remnants Web Site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/14/2015 Searcher28 visited it