News Release

C&O Canal approves plans for new headquarters at Williamsport

Date: November 25, 2019
Contact: Katie Liming, 202-619-7156

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The National Park Service (NPS) has approved a plan to move the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (C&O Canal) headquarters to the former Miller Lumber Company site in Williamsport, Md. Construction of the park headquarters will begin in 2020 and is projected to be 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.

When the project is complete, school groups, neighbors and other visitors will have better opportunities to connect with the historic canal waterway. Currently, the C&O Canal headquarters is located in Hagerstown, a 20-minute drive from the nearest park location in Williamsport. Moving the park headquarters to a location closer to the park will improve efficiency and enhance the park experience for visitors.

The C&O Canal recently completed a two-year project at Williamsport to restore the Conococheague Aqueduct, where visitors can experience the only watered, operational canal aqueduct in North America.

A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the new headquarters was signed on November 22, 2019, by the Acting Director, Region 1 – National Capital Area. The FONSI describes why the selected action will have no significant effects on the environment, provides the rationale for the decision and outlines conservation measures that will be taken to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts to cultural resources. The FONSI is available for review at parkplanning.nps.gov/canalheadquarters.

 

www.nps.gov

About the C&O Canal NHP: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park preserves and interprets the historical, natural and recreational resources of the C&O Canal. Over 5 million visitors a year enjoy the opportunities for recreation and understanding that the park has to offer. For more information, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/choh.