Georgetown Incline Plane - Washington, D.C.
Posted by: 
flyingmoose
N 38° 54.477 W 077° 05.477
18S E 318669 N 4308640
Located along the C&O Canal between Georgetown and Fletcher's Cove.
Waymark Code: WM14J9G
Location: District of Columbia, United States
Date Posted: 07/14/2021
Views: 2
The Incline plane was built as a bypass to alleviate the 2-3 day traffic jams in Georgetown. Today, very little of the structure remains and is covered in growth.
Marker Text:
Here, in 1876, an engineering marvel was built. The largest incline plane in the world and the first built in the United States, carried canal boats to and from the Potomac River. The incline plane was used to help clear heavy boat traffic in Georgetown; canal boats often log-lammed while waiting to unload. Boats left the canal through a lock and entered the incline plane's large water-filled car; the water from the car was drained as two stone-filled, counter-balancing cars, moving in the opposite direction, lowered the boat 480 feet to the river, and on to its Georgetown port.
Waterway Name: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Connected Points:
Links the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to the Potomac River between Fletcher's Cove and Georgetown.
Type: Plane
Date Opened: 01/01/1876
Elevation Difference (meters): 480.00
Site Status: Remnants
Web Site: [Web Link]
Date Closed (if applicable): Not listed
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