Cincinnati and Whitewater Canal Tunnel - Cleves, Ohio
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 39° 09.319 W 084° 45.012
16S E 694397 N 4336423
Historic canal tunnel located in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio.
Waymark Code: WMEX5N
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 07/16/2012
Views: 6
"In 1837, Cincinnati merchants projected a branch canal to join the Whitewater Canal at West Harrison, Indiana, with the goal of tapping commerce from Indiana's Whitewater Valley. The major obstacle on this route was the ridge between North Bend and Cleves, just northeast of this site. Engineer Darius Lapham designed a 1,782-foot tunnel though this barrier. Lined with brick made on site, the tunnel, 24 feet wide and 20 1/2 feet high, was the first canal tunnel in Ohio. Six workers died in its construction. The Cincinnati & Whitewater Canal opened in 1843 but was abandoned by 1856, after the main Whitewater Canal had been rendered useless by repeated flooding. The canal tunnel was subsequently used as a railroad tunnel from 1863 until 1888, illustrating the progression of transportation technology in the mid-nineteenth century." - Historical Marker
The tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The tunnel has long been abandoned and has filled in with silt. There has been discussion to dig the tunnel out and open it up as a trail.
Street address:
Parallel to Miami Ave., jct. of Wamsley and Miami Ave.
Cleves, Ohio
County / Borough / Parish: Hamilton
Year listed: 2001
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1825-1849; 1850-1874
Historic function: Transportation
Current function: Vacant/Not In Use
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.