A Navigation Canal Becomes a Raceway

A Navigation Canal Becomes a Raceway (HM4E9)

Location: Fredericksburg, VA 22401
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Country: United States of America
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N 38° 18.987', W 77° 29.161'

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Inscription
The Rappahannock Navigation system provided a means to transport bulk cargo between Fredericksburg and upriver farms and mines. In 1829, with financial assistance from Virginia's Board for Public Works, the Rappahannock Company began construction of a series of canals and related dams. The canal section in front of you was three and one half miles long and routed boats around the river's falls.

By 1849, a 50-mile navigation system had been extended upstream. Insufficient revenues, however, cause the Commonwealth to foreclose on its loan in 1853. In 1854-1855, the Fredericksburg Water Power Company acquired this portion of the navigation system and constructed a dam across the Rappahannock River that shortened this canal section by a mile and a half. This new structure altered the canal's function from navigation to water power. This upper canal eventually powered several local industries.
Details
HM NumberHM4E9
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Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, September 9th, 2014 at 5:49am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 282659 N 4243851
Decimal Degrees38.31645000, -77.48601667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 38° 18.987', W 77° 29.161'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds38° 18' 59.22" N, 77° 29' 9.66" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)540
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 5901-5999 Heritage Trail, Fredericksburg VA 22401, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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