After closing the gate to the canal, McMillan emptied the dry dock into the river by opening a small drain valve. After finishing his work, he filled the dry dock with water and floated the boat back into the canal.
The historic photograph on the right features a rural dry dock, similar to John McMillan's along the Ohio & Erie Canal. McMillan's boat-building tools are now on display at the Canal Visitor Center, one mile south of this location. Location: On the
Towpath Trail about 6/10 of a mile south of the Lock
39 Trailhead (53K) and about 1 mile north of the Canal
Visitor Center Trailhead (53K).
Last
Updated:
Wednesday, 22-Dec-2004 09:50:47 Eastern Standard Time
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John
McMillan operated a dry dock in this field until 1913. McMillan's dry
dock - which resembled an oversize canal lock - was his "canal
service station," where he maintained and repaired canal boats.
Boats needing repair were floated from the canal into the dry dock.
