Farmington Canal Greenway - Cheshire, CT
Posted by: 
KDubs
N 41° 29.911 W 072° 54.884
18T E 674050 N 4596198
Rail trail from Cheshire, CT to Hamden, CT that used to be a canal and railroad track.
Waymark Code: WM76PZ
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 09/10/2009
Views: 11
On the heels of the completion of the Erie Canal in New York State, a group of New Haven businessmen met in 1821 with the goal of constructing a canal in Connecticut to facilitate trade. Ground was first broken on July 4, 1825. It was completed in 1835.
The canal was not cheap to build, and the finances of the construction and upkeep of the canal were always precarious. Railroads put an end to the use of the canal. Just 12 years after the canal was completed, a rail bed was laid to cover the same route the canal had traversed.
The Canal Railroad remained in use until the early 1980's, when floods damaged the rail line to the point that it could no longer be used.
Although there is still a small portion of the original rail line in use in Plainville, CT, the track was largely removed by 1987, and large portions of what had been the rail line were sold.
During the 1990's, construction on a trail, following the route of the original rail line was begun. The first sections were completed in northern Hamden and southern Cheshire, followed by extension southward in Hamden and northward in Cheshire.
Country: USA
State/Province/etc.: Connecticut
Trail Start (town): Cheshire
Trail Finish (town): Hamden
Trail Length: 10
Trail Surface: Paved
Fees: no
Internet Link(s):
http://www.farmingtoncanal.org/
Pack Animals Allowed: Not Listed
Rail-to-Trail Sign: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
A Trail Review
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If possible please post a photo of you OR you and interesting things along a trail OR just interesting things along the trail.
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