Williamsport Headquarters

Building Hours

The headquarters building is not open to the public, however, the Williamsport Visitor Center at Cushwa Basin is across the street.

 

C&O Canal Park Headquarters

NPS/Adams

Park Headquarters

Completed in 2021, the C&O Canal NHP Park Headquarters is the administrative hub for all 184.5 miles of the park.

Construction of the park headquarters began in 2020 at the site of the former Miller Lumber Company and was completed in late 2021. The new headquarters will bring about 70 jobs with an annual payroll of about $5 million to Williamsport. The park held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project in August 2019.

When the project is complete, school groups, neighbors and other visitors will have better opportunities to connect with the historic canal waterway. Moving the park headquarters to a location closer to the park will improve efficiency and enhance the park experience for visitors.

 

Getting Here

142 W Potomac St.
Williamsport, MD 21795

Public parking lot available, no public restroom.
Towpath access via the Bollman Bridge on Salisbury Street

 

Timeline of Park Administration

1938 Federal government purchased the C&O Canal and gave management of the lands to the National Park Service. Administrative control was given to the National Capital Parks in Washington, DC.
1941 Lower rewatered 22 miles of the Canal administratively designated as the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Recreational Waterway.
1948 Public Law 618 authorized the Secretary of the Interior to make a joint reconnaissance survey between the Public Roads Administration and NPS of the C&O Canal between Great Falls, MD and Cumberland, MD to determine the feasibility of constructing a parkway along the route.
1956 Canal parkway plan abandoned for the national historical park proposal and divided the canal into two administrative sections
1957 Edwin Dale was appointed the first Superintendent of the "C&O Canal NHP Project" from Seneca to Cumberland. An administrative headquarters was set up at 74 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD. The administration of the canal from Georgetown to Seneca remained with National Capital Parks.

1961 Under the American Antiquities Act of 1906, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed the C&O Canal lands between Seneca and Cumberland a National Monument (Presidential Proclamation 3391, Establishing the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Monument, Maryland). C&O Canal National Monument Headquarters moved to 479 N. Potomac St., Hagerstown, MD.
1965 The administration of the canal from Georgetown to Seneca is moved to George Washington Memorial Parkway in McLean, VA.
1965 C&O Canal National Monument Headquarters moved to 120 N. Potomac St., Hagerstown, MD.
1967 Administrative offices for C&O Canal National Monument and Antietam National Battlefield were combined, administrative offices were moved to the newly built visitor center at Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, MD.

1971 Public Law 91-664, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Development Act, established the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
1974 William Failor became the first Superintendent for the unified C&O Canal NHP from Georgetown to Cumberland. The Administrative duties for C&O Canal and Antietam were seperated, C&O Canal began looking for a new headquarters site.
1976 C&O Canal offices were moved to a set of trailers behind recently aquired Ferry Hill in Sharpsburg, MD.
1980 Park Headquarters officially opened in the mansion of Ferry Hill Place.
2002 Headquarters moved to 1850 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, MD.

2021 New headquarters completed at 142 W. Potomac St., Williamsport, MD.

 

Map of Williamsport

NPS

 

THINGS TO DO

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  Walk Through History

  Williamsport Walking Tour

  Learn about the historic structures in Williamsport

• 

  Visitor Centers

  Several visitor centers are along the C&O Canal. Hours and seasons vary.

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  Williamsport, MD

  Cushwa Basin

  View a variety of canal features, including a newly re-watered aqueduct.