Chesapeake and Ohio Canal - Lock #33 - Waterway Locks, Planes and Lifts on Waymarking.com

Lock 33 in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal system is located across the Potomac River from Harpers Ferry. To visit this lock, park near the railroad station in Harpers Ferry and follow the trail on the foot and railroad bridge across the Potomac River.

"Here, the forces of nature created a natural corridor for commerce. The Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers carved a notch in the mountains, providing passage west. Communities grew up on both sides of the river and later a turnpike, railroad, and canal came through this notch. The railroad and canal competed constantly until the railroad gained dominance. Because of the devastation of the Civil War and decreasing dependence on waterpower the area declined in importance." Information from signboard erected by Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, National Park Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior.

The white building on the far side of the canal has been variously identified as Spencer's Store or the Elgin House. The lockhouse, long gone, was on the towpath side of the canal. The lock itself was constructed from flint and granite stone hauled over the Potomac from Virginia.

Waterway Name: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) Connected Points: Links the Potomac River below the fall line in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. Type: Lock Date Opened: 01/01/1833 Elevation Difference (meters): 3.00 Site Status: Inactive Web Site: [Web Link] Date Closed (if applicable): Not listed

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