C&O Canal Invites Visitors to Join Ongoing Park Summer Programs from Cumberland to Williamsport

Date: July 14, 2017
Contact: Rita Knox, 301-7228226
Contact: Carrie Wittmer, 301-582-0313

Cumberland and Williamsport, MD – The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park invites the public to join our park interpreters to discover the canal’s fascinating, and sometimes overlooked, stories and history. All programs are free and suitable for visitors of all ages.

Cumberland Area:

• On Fridays from 12 pm to 4 pm, the replica canal boat “The Cumberland” is open for visitors to learn about life of those who worked on these mule-drawn freight boats. “The Cumberland” is located at Canal Place in downtown Cumberland, Maryland, near the Western Maryland Railway Station at 13 Canal Street.

• Paw Paw Tunnel ranger talks occur on Saturdays at 11 am and 1 pm at the small open amphitheater adjacent to the Paw Paw Campground parking area. Following the talks, the ranger will lead visitors to the tunnel entrance. Learn about the challenges of building the tunnel, the geology of the area, and how the current rock scaling and pinning project may help avert future rock slides.. The tunnel is currently closed to through traffic, but visitors are able to travel about 300 feet into the structure. The Paw Paw Tunnel is located off of MD Rt. 51, twenty-five miles south of Cumberland, Maryland.

• Lockhouses 75 at North Branch and 70 at Old Town are open for visitors on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm. through September. Lockhouse 75 is staffed by the C&O Canal Association. It will also be open on Labor Day Monday from 10 am – 4 pm. Lockhouse 70 features a small display on the rich history of a canal town where Native Americans lived, Thomas Cresap built a fort, and Civil War incidents took place.

• The C&O Canal NHP Cumberland Visitor Center includes exhibits and staff to answer questions. Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. The visitor center is located in the Western Maryland Railway Station.

Williamsport Area:

• Launch Boat Tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday at 11 am and 2 pm. Visitors learn about canal structures and hear stories of the people who lived and labored to make the canal a reality. Reservations required by calling the Williamsport Visitor Center [phone].

• “Canal Features” ranger talks are offered at 1 pm Wednesdays through Sundays. Meet at the Visitor Center for these 20 minutes talks on diverse features found along the canal today.

• Lockhouse 44 is open from 3:30 - 4:30 pm Wednesdays through Sundays. Discover the lives of the lock keepers and learn how a lift lock works.

• The Williamsport Visitor Center is open 9 am - 4:30 pm Wednesdays through Sundays. Films, maps, and information.

 

Contact the Cumberland Visitor Center at [phone], Williamsport Visitor Center at [phone], or visit our website at www.nps.gov/choh for additional information about summer programs.