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Monocacy Aqueduct - C&O Canal Mile 42
By spokesman | October 8, 2008
This post discusses the Monocacy Aqueduct on the C&O Canal. Be sure to read my other posts on sights along the Canal and Great Allegheny Passage. The Monocacy Aqueduct at mile 42 on the C&O is one of the most interesting structures along the canal. It was originally built in 1833 and it was restored in 2005 after years of neglect. It had been severely damaged by a flood from Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and had been reinforced with steel brackets for nearly thirty years. Now that the restoration is complete, the steel brackets have been removed and it looks much better as can be seen in the photo below.
There are 11 aqueducts along the C&O canal. The aqueducts were bridges that carried the canal across large rivers that crossed the canal’s path. It must have been a strange site to see a canal boat being pulled by mules as it floating across an aqueduct. The aqueducts include a tow path for the mules in addition to the channel for the water. The picture below, from a sign at the Monocacy aqueduct, gives a view of how the aqueduct looked in operation.
The Monocacy Aqueduct is the largest Aqueduct on the canal and is 438 feet long. The Aqueduct was used by Union troops during the Civil War and had been a target of the Confederate Army, but had avoided destruction twice. Once it was saved by a Canal employee who convinced the Confederates it would be easier to drain the canal rather than destroy the Aqueduct if their intent was to stop traffic on the Canal. The second time, prior to the battle at Antietam, the Confederate soldiers did not have enough explosives or time to complete the mission. More details on the Aqueduct including its Civil War history can be found at this Smithsonian website and at the National Park Service website.
The Aqueduct is located at Mile 42 on the Canal. The mile measurements begin at Mile 0 in Georgetown, Washington D.C. The Aqueduct can be visited on day trip from the Washington area. To make it a shorter trip than biking all the way from Georgetown, starting from Great Falls (mile 14), Riley’s Lock(mile 23) or Whites Ferry(mile 35.5) are good options. All of those locations are easily accessible by car. Additionally another options for a day trip would be to drive to the Monocacy Aqueduct and then bicycle the round trip to and from Harpers Ferry (mile 60). Of course, you don’t have to bike, driving to the Aqueduct and hiking in the area is always an option.
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Topics: C&O Canal/GAP |