Today remains of canals are rarely seen in heavily built up areas. Cincinnati used to have canals near the Court House. There were streets on both sides of the canal named North and South Canal Streets. Today, parts of the canal were covered and became what we know as Central Parkway. Another part of the canal was turned into a subway, but the subway was never completed. Stretches of ditch, called prism can still be seen in Cincinnati.
Canals Today
Canals and locks today are used to transport goods or just for sightseeing. The locks today are similar to the locks in the 1800s but operate by new tecnology. Some canals and locks are preserved as museums so people can learn about them.
The Erie Canal today.
Canals and locks that I visited
Me with Andy Hite, the manager of the Piqua Historical Area
A special thank you to Andy Hite. He gave me a tour on the remains of the Miami and Erie Canal in Piqua and locks in Lockington Ohio. He also gave me a lot of great information.
Lock 1 of the Miami and Erie Canal
Part of the canal next to the Miami River
Whitewater Canal and the canal boat Ben Franklin III
Whitewater Canal lock #25.The railroad is built next to the canal
Transportation Today
Compared to transportation today, canals are slow. In the 1800s, 4 miles an hour is fast. As tecnology advances transportation innovates. Canals are an important part of the history of transportation and innovation.
Falkirk Wheel
Modern architecture uses the ideas of canals. The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland combines a canal like the Roman Aqueduct, a ferris wheel that change the water's level like a lock.