The Power of Water: Shaping Communities

Historical image of people gathering for a dinner on a canal boat.

NPS Photo / C&O Canal NHP

Shaping Communities

"Where there's water on Earth, you find life as we know it. So if you find water somewhere else, it becomes a remarkable draw to look closer to see if life of any kind is there, even if it's bacterial, which would be extraordinary for the field of biology." —Neil deGrasse Tyson

Where there's water, there's life. Waterways bring people together. The C&O Canal and Potomac River helped form the many Canal Towns in Washington, DC, Maryland, and West Virginia. In this NPS article you'll learn how waterways shape communities, economies, and drive development.

Historical photo of men, women, and children gathered on a canal boat.

NPS Photo

How can waterways help shape communities and economies?

Waterways have the power to bring people together and drive development. During the early 1800s, before railroads, waterways were the best way to transport raw materials, people, and goods from point A to point B. Canal mania took over the US in the first half of the nineteenth century as investors began to sese how these artificial rivers could save travelers large amounts of time and money.

Port towns, like Georgetown, Washington, DC in the early nineteenth centry, were booming with business. The Potomac River gave access to the Atlantic Ocean and European goods. The emergence of the C&O Canal provided northern Canal Towns in Maryland and West Virginia access to those goods. Raw materials, like quarried rocks from Maryland and West Virginia, to be transported to DC.

Waterways, like the Potomac River and the C&O Canal, motivated people to build homes near these resources. Waterways helped motivate merchants and canallers transporting goods, helping boost economy in new communities. In the next section, you'll learn about the different Canal Towns that exist still today because of the power of waterways.

Canal Communities

Canal communities and Canal Towns represent deep rooted history of 19th century transportation and industry and also serve an important role for the C&O Canal's trail users and through-riders that need places to rest, refuel, or even do repairs. Canal communities provide great opportunities for recreation and reflection on early American engineering, innovation, and history.

Continue reading to learn more about Canal Towns through the C&O Canal. Information below was provided by our official Park Partner, the Canal Trust, and the Canal Towns Partnership. How many Canal Towns will you visit? Share your adventures and exploration with us on our social media accounts using the hashtags #CandOCanal #NationalHistoricalPark #CanalTowns.

• Georgetown, Washington, DC (Mile Marker 0)
  Located in the oldest neighborhood of Washington, DC, Georgetown, is a unique urban part of the C&O Canal. What was once a booming port town is now a bustling city lined with businesses, offices, restaurants, and shopping boutiques. This part of the towpath provides much needed green space in the Capital.
• Poolesville, MD (Mile Marker 30.9, 35.5)
  Find small town character and down home charm in Poolesville. Its Historic District contains many historic buildings and is listed on the National Register.
• Point of Rocks, MD (Mile Marker 48.2)
  A small unincorporated community, Point of Rocks is known for its historic train station and the rock formations on Catoctin Mountain that give Point of Rocks its name.
• Brunswick, MD (Mile Marker 55)
  Brunswick was shaped by the B&O Railroad as much as the C&O Canal, as depicted in the Brunswick Heritage Museum. Brunswick is now a Main Street community and home to a unique mosaic mural depicting the Potomac River.
• Harpers Ferry, WV (Mile Marker 60.7)
  Harpers Ferry lies at the intersection of the C&O Canal, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and the midpoint of the Appalachian Trail. It is famous for John Brown’s raid in 1859 when he attempted to start a revolt of enslaved people in the South. During the Civil War, Harpers Ferry changed hands eight times due to its strategic importance on the B&O Railroad.
• Bolivar, WV (Mile Marker 60.7)
  Bolivar (rhymes with Oliver) is adjacent to the town of Harpers Ferry and is surrounded by Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The towns’ histories and present activities are interwoven.
• Shepherdstown, WV (Mile Marker 72.8)
  The oldest town in West Virginia, Shepherdstown was voted one of the top 10 coolest small towns in 2013 by Budget Travel. Shepherdstown offers a unique shopping and dining experience – you will not find a single chain store in town. It is also home to Shepherd University, which each summer hosts the Contemporary American Theater Festival.
• Williamsport, MD (Mile Marker 99.4)
  Williamsport is the functional mid-way point of the towpath and the only place in North America where you can see a lift bridge, a working aqueduct, a trolley barn, a turning basin, a lockhouse, and a lock in the same place. The Conococheague Aqueduct was restored in 2019 and is the only working aqueduct in the Park.
• Hancock, MD (Mile Marker 124.1)
  Located in the narrowest part of Maryland, Hancock is home to the Western Maryland Rail Trail, Fort Frederick State Park, and a historic tollhouse on National Road, the county’s first major improved highway.
• Cumberland, MD (Mile Marker 184.5)
  Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, Cumberland is home to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, the terminus of the C&O Canal and the start of the Great Allegheny Passage which continues to Pittsburgh.

References

• OpenStaxCollege. (2014). On The Move: The Transportation Revolution. In OSCRiceUniversity, U.S. History. Pressbooks.