Lock 9

Once upon a time, hand-dug canals crossed the state of Ohio. This extended water transportation system helped develop the state as settlers found an easier way into the wilderness, and commerce found a cheaper way to expand.

The Miami and Erie Canal, traversing 249 miles from Cincinnati to Toledo, was begun on July 25, 1825 near Middletown. It was built in sections until completed in 1845. The total cost was more then $8 million, financed by bonds and the sale of federal lands.

Most of the work was done by Irish, French, and German immigrants, who labored for 31 cents a day and a jigger of whiskey. They manually moved trees, rocks and soil to create the “big ditch” through the wilderness. Structures on the canal included 19 aqueducts, three guard locks, 103 lift locks, three major reservoirs, and “Deep Cut” that was 6,600 feet long and 52-feet deep. But for all this work, the canals faced fierce competition from another form of transportation-the railroads. The peak year for the Miami and Erie Canal was 1851, with revenues of $351,897 and approximately 400 boats in operation.

This is a picture of the Miami River.