Ohio Forgotten » Ohio & Erie Canal

Lock 27 – Johnnycake Lock

Andrew — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:12:35 +0000

During the spring of 1828, a flood caused the Furnace Run Culvert to fail and the canal to silt.

Several canal boats ran aground and were stranded at this canal lock.

As supplies ran low, canal passengers and the crew ate johnnycakes to survive.

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Lock 24 – Niles Lock

Andrew — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:45:16 +0000

In 1836, Peter Voris laid out and founded the small village of Niles. Only a small amount of people actually purchased a plot in the village. Nicholas Botzum and Thomas Owen operated rival mercantile stores on opposite sides of the canal. But, the village never grew and Voris sold the property to the Vallen Brothers who then converted the property back to common land.

Located right next to the lock is a spillway.

After walking a few miles down, you will find the remains of an old aqueduct that carried the canal over the stream. Now it carries the road and railroad tracks over the stream.

360 Tour

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Lock 25 – Mud Catcher Lock

Andrew — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:12:31 +0000

The front wall of the lock was demolished when Riverview Road was widened in the 1930s, and most of the canal in this section was filled in.

360 Tour

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Lock 34 – Red Lock

Andrew — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:06:49 +0000

This canal lock acquired it’s name from it’s red lock gates and the abundance of red clay that was found along the canal in this area.

Is Red Lock Haunted?

Many workers died of malaria when building the canal and it’s possible that they haven’t left yet.

The spirits seem to focus around this small cement bridge. It could have been built over a mass grave for workers, maybe too poor for a Christian burial.

While I were there we got some weird whitish spots in some of my pictures. Using the orb chart we found that the color white means protection. Could the ghosts be protection there grave?!?!

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Lock 33 – Wallace Lock

Andrew — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:31:00 +0000

James Wallace and George Wallace Jr. owned a large farmstead that stretched from the village of Brandywine, which their father founded, all the way to Boston.

James Wallace served as a contractor to help build the Ohio & Erie Canal.

He helped build sections in Boston Township and Massillon, and the aqueduct in Roscoe Village.

On top of all of that, he even worked on a canal boat for 2 years.

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Lock 35 – Whiskey Lock

Andrew — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:30:49 +0000

This canal lock acquired it’s name from the whiskey produced at a nearby distillery during the Civil War. It was also known as the Kettlewell Lock.

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Lock 37 – Alexander Lock

Andrew — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:58:32 +0000

In 1855, Andrew and Robert Alexander built a grist mill near this canal lock. It was called the Alexander’s Mill, a.k.a. the 14 Mile Lock Mill.

Water from the canal was channeled towards the mill through a millrace, where it was used to turn a waterwheel, probably an undershot.

The mill was later converted to run on a turbine, but it still used water from the canal.

In 1900, the mill was purchased by Thomas G. Wilson, and renamed the Wilson’s Mill. Thomas operated the mill using water power up until 1969, when it was converted to electric power. Today, the mill is operated by Thomas Wilson’s son, Tom Wilson, and it’s used to process animal feed.

The Vanochek Family built a house, barn, general store, and a tavern next this canal lock.

Old Lock Gates

Water Control Gate

By opening water control gates, a section of the canal could be drained for maintenance and repair. This was usally done during the winter when adverse weather shut down the canal use.

Very little of the original structure remains; the concrete wing walls are a modern improvement.

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Lock 36 – 17 Mile Lock

Andrew — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:30:07 +0000

The concrete remnants on the far side of today’s trail bridge are the wing walls walls of Lock 36 which had been buried in the 1950s.

A feeder channel was built here at Lock 36 to bring water form the Cuyahoga River into the canal.

The feeder still provides water for the longest remaining watered section of the Ohio & Erie Canal.

A mud catcher was built to hold back silt and debris that might clog the canal.

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Lock 26 – Pancake Lock

Andrew — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:27:52 +0000

During the spring of 1828, a flood caused the Furnace Run Culvert to fail and the canal to silt.

Several canal boats ran aground and were stranded at this canal lock.

As supplies ran low, canal passengers and the crew ate pancakes to survive.

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Lock 28 – Deep Lock

Andrew — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:48:43 +0000

A typical canal lock could only raise or lower a canal boat about 9 feet.

Deep Lock’s 17 foot lift was the highest of any on the entire Ohio and Erie Canal.

Explore Deep Lock Quarry

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Lock 29 – Peninsula Mills Lock

Andrew — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:53:13 +0000

An aqueduct carried the Ohio & Erie Canal over the Cuyahoga River at this location.

The canal boats would enter into this lock before passing through the aqueduct, heading south

Although the aqueduct is long gone, the sandstone foundation can still be seen.

In 1832, a gristmill was built near the aqueduct and lock. A dam was constructed across the Cuyahoga River to help channel the water towards the mill, where it was used to turn the waterwheel. The canal provided an easy mode of transportation for the goods, which helped the mill prosper.

Charles Thomas and Chandler Moody purchased the mill in 1885. In 1902, they torn down the old mill and built a much larger mill. They called it the Peninsula Mills, a.k.a. the Moody & Thomas Mill. Unfortunately, the mill burned down on December 26, 1931. Today, the only thing left is the sandstone foundation.

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Lock 32 – Boston Mills Lock

Andrew — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:25:01 +0000

A warehouse, broom factory, blacksmith shop, hotel, and 2 general stores were located near this canal lock.

Below is a view of the old canal bed looking towards Lock 33 from the bridge over the lock.

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Lock 31 – Lonesome Lock

Andrew — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:07:20 +0000

Lonesome lock acquired its name from the isolated location. There are legends of robberies and murders that occurred in this remote area.

It is a VERY, VERY long walk to get here by walking on the towpath, better idea to take a bike.

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Lock 30 – Feeder Lock

Andrew — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:17:30 +0000

This canal lock acquired its name from the Peninsula Feeder, which is located nearby.

Below are the remnants of the bridge that carried the towpath over the feeder.

The stone walls in the below pictures are the remnants of the feeder channel.

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