Inscription
The 45-mile long Susquehanna (PA) and Tidewater (MD) Canal ran from Wrightsville, Pennsylvania to Havre de Grace, Maryland. The canal was built between 1835 and 1839 in order to improve commerce on the Susquehanna River. The new canal would connect the extensive Pennsylvania canal system with tidewater ports—primarily Baltimore and Philadelphia.
The flat-bottomed canal boats averaged 65 feet in length and hauled as much as 150 tons. A pair of mules walking in single file would pull a boat at a maximum of 4 mph. At greater speeds the vessel's wake would cause damage to the canal walls.
Traffic on the canal was very heavy, reaching its peak in 1864. Unfortunately, the canal was plagued by ongoing problems including lack of sufficient funds, legal disputes, railroad competition, and storm-related damage. Eventually the ravages of nature and the cost of repairs made continuation impractical. Pennsylvania's Susquehanna Canal never reopened after a May 1894 flood. Maryland's Tidewater Canal continued operation for local traffic until about 1900.
The flat-bottomed canal boats averaged 65 feet in length and hauled as much as 150 tons. A pair of mules walking in single file would pull a boat at a maximum of 4 mph. At greater speeds the vessel's wake would cause damage to the canal walls.
Traffic on the canal was very heavy, reaching its peak in 1864. Unfortunately, the canal was plagued by ongoing problems including lack of sufficient funds, legal disputes, railroad competition, and storm-related damage. Eventually the ravages of nature and the cost of repairs made continuation impractical. Pennsylvania's Susquehanna Canal never reopened after a May 1894 flood. Maryland's Tidewater Canal continued operation for local traffic until about 1900.
Details
| HM Number | HMAR |
|---|---|
| Series | This marker is part of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal series |
| Tags | |
| Historical Period | 19th Century |
| Historical Place | River |
| Marker Type | Historic Structure |
| Marker Class | Historical Marker |
| Marker Style | Free Standing |
| Marker Condition | No reports yet |
| Date Added | Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014 at 10:54am PDT -07:00 |
Pictures
Photo Credits: [1] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666
Locationbig map
| UTM (WGS84 Datum) | 18S E 406075 N 4379055 |
|---|---|
| Decimal Degrees | 39.55605000, -76.09328333 |
| Degrees and Decimal Minutes | N 39° 33.363', W 76° 5.597' |
| Degrees, Minutes and Seconds | 39° 33' 21.7800" N, 76° 5' 35.8200" W |
| Driving Directions | Google Maps |
| Area Code(s) | 443, 410 |
| Can be seen from road? | No |
| Is marker in the median? | No |
| Closest Postal Address | At or near Park Dr, Havre de Grace MD 21078, US |
| Alternative Maps | Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap |
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Show me all markers in: Havre de Grace, MD | Harford County | 21078 | Maryland | United States of America
Maintenance Issues
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