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Contact: Kelly Fox, 301-582-0813
Williamsport, MD –The Chesapeake &Ohio Canal National Historical Park (C&O Canal NHP) welcomes visitors to the Cushwa Basin in Williamsport, Canal Place in Cumberland, Ferry Hill Plantation in Sharpsburg, Bowles House in Hancock, and Brunswick Visitor Center starting Memorial Day weekend. "While stretching 184.5 miles from Georgetown to Cumberland, Maryland, there are many visitor centers, interpretive programs, and events to experience during the summer season," Park Ranger Kelly Fox states. "In Western Maryland, each of our sites represent a critical time period in canal history, while also allowing visitors to explore history from the towpath." Experience the canal at the Cushwa Basin during a Replica Launch Boat Program starting Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24, 2015.Park Ranger-led 1 hour interpretive programs begin at 10:30am, 12:15pm, 1:30pm and 3:00pm at the Williamsport C&O Canal NHP Visitor Center. The programs are free of charge, but donations are welcome. Tours will continue every Saturday and Sunday from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, weather permitting.Visitors are encouraged to stop by the Williamsport C&O Canal NHP Visitor Center and reserve their seat for this unique interpretive program. Seats are limited to 12 visitors per program and reservations will only be taken on the day of the tour. Along with the Replica Launch Boat Program, the Williamsport C&O Canal NHP Visitor Center will also be open weekly Wednesday thru Sunday 9:00am –4:30pm. For more information please contact the Williamsport C&O Canal NHP Visitor Center at 301-582-0813. Canal Place in Cumberland, Maryland welcomes visitors seven days a week from 9:00am –5:00pm as they learn C&O Canal history through interactive and educational displays. Please contract Canal Place at 301-722-8226 for more information. Step back to the Civil War era when visiting Ferry Hill Plantation, the former home of Henry Kyd Douglas. Ferry Hill Planation welcomes visitors from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00am –3:00pm. For more information, contact the Williamsport C&O Canal NHP Visitor Center at 301-582-0813. Experience decades of history including the life of early settlers, as well as the C&O Canal by visiting the Bowles House in Hancock. Open Memorial Day to Labor Day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00am –3:00pm. Contact the Williamsport C&O Canal NHP Visitor Center at 301-582-0813 for more information. The Brunswick Visitor Center welcomes visitors Thursday and Friday 10:00am –2:00pm, Saturday 10:00am –4:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm –4:00pm while learning how the C&O Canal and railroads influenced the creation of Brunswick. For more information, please contact the Brunswick Visitor Center at 301-834-7100. For a complete list of interpretive programs and events along the Chesapeake &Ohio Canal National Historical Park, visit nps.gov/choh. C&O Canal NHP stretches 184.5 mile from Georgetown to Cumberland, MD. The C&O Canal was constructed over 22 years and operated from 1850-1924 as a water route for hauling coal, lumber, and other goods. The C&O Canal became a National Monument in 1961, thanks in part to the efforts of Supreme Court Justice William Douglas, and in 1971 the C&O Canal became a National Historical Park. Today, the entire 184.5 mile long towpath is open to visitors. - NPS - About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 407 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov. |
Last updated: May 20, 2015