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 Rideau Canal - Canal Rideau - Ottawa, Ontario Posted by:  Weathervane
N 45° 25.457 W 075° 41.675
18T E 445662 N 5030318
The Rideau Canal, a World Heritage and Canadian National Historic site, was built between 1826 and 1832. It is the best-preserved, fully operational example from North America's great canal-building era.
Waymark Code: WMY8JA
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 05/10/2018
Views: 20
Text of the plaque: "Built between 1826 and 1832, the Rideau Canal is the best-preserved, fully operational example from North America's great canal-building era. Lieutenant-Colonel John By's innovative design was based on a "slackwater" system that linked lakes and rivers on a scale unprecedented in North America. The result was one of the first canals in the world engineered for steam-powered vessels. Its construction though more than 200 kilometres of bush, swamps, and lakes was a monumental feat. Each year, as many as 5,000 workers, mainly Irish immigrants and French Canadians, toiled under the supervision of civil contractors and the Royal Engineers. Working in extremely difficult conditions they endured injury and disease, and hundreds died. This fortified waterway was intended as a safe military supply route between Montréal and Lake Ontario by providing an alternative to the St. Lawrence River. It chiefly served as a key artery for moving goods and people until the 1850s and became a popular recreational destination in the 20th century. The Rideau Canal was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2007." Reference: ( visit link)
Group that erected the marker: Government of Canada - Le gouvernement du Canada
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Wellington Street, in close proximity to the Rideau Canal, Sappers' Bridge and National Arts Centre
Ottawa, ON Canada
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.
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