News Release

Spring Events & Programs at C&O Canal

Date: March 1, 2018
Contact: Catherine Bragaw, 301-491-6265

Hagerstown, Md. — Spring is a wonderful time to experience the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (C&O Canal). Come for a visit and bike or walk the towpath, stop by a visitor center, enjoy the arrival of spring birds or attend one of our special events. The park is open daily, and visitors are welcome to join rangers for the following special events and programs, March through May:

 

March 18 - Irish Laborers on the C&O Canal - 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Great Falls Tavern, Potomac, Md. Canal historian Karen Gray will discuss the vital role of Irish and other immigrant laborers who constructed and worked on the C&O Canal.  

 

March 24 - Grand Old Ditch - 2- 3 p.m., Great Falls Tavern, Potomac, Md. Join Judith Welles, local history author and C&O Canal volunteer, as she talks about highlights and photographs of the C&O Canal. Topics include the canal’s role during the Civil War, historic structures, and unique engineering marvels. Space is limited to the first 20 people; to RSVP, email Mary Kate Gentile at e-mail us.

 

March 25 - Women's Life and Work on the C&O Canal - 1-3 p.m., Great Falls Tavern, Potomac, Md. Women played important roles in the operation of the C&O Canal from its beginning in 1828 until  today. The public will be encouraged to participate in various forms of labor performed by women along the canal in the 19th century. Try your hand at kneading dough, scrubbing clothes using a washboard, and mending a shirt.

 

March 31, April 14, & May 5 - Mountain Dulcimers of Northern Virginia - 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.Great Falls Tavern, Potomac, MD. Visitors may try their hand at playing a mountain dulcimer, percussion instrument, or simply sing along.

 

April 21 - Frank Lenz - Biking Around the World and Through the Paw Paw Tunnel - 10 -11 a.m., 10 Howard Street, Building D, Cumberland, Md. Join David Long for a fascinating presentation on Frank Lenz, a 1890s bicyclist who passed through the Paw Paw Tunnel on his planned bicycle trip around the world. Space is limited to the first 25 people; to RSVP, email Mary Kate Gentile at e-mail us.

 

May 12 & 13 - 20th Maine Regiment Civil War Camp Reenactment - All day, Great Falls Tavern, Potomac, Md. Enjoy two days of living history at Great Falls Tavern by experiencing the tavern area as it would have looked like throughout the Civil War.

 

May 19 - Canal Myths and Truths - 2- 3 p.m., 10 Howard St. Building D, Cumberland, Md. Join Karen Gray for an exciting presentation on the latest research of the C&O Canal and how it has changed our understanding of the canal’s operation and history. Space is limited to the first 25 people; to RSVP, email Mary Kate Gentile at e-mail us.
 

May 26 - Williamsport Launch Boat Tours, Williamsport Visitor Center, Williamsport, Md. These FREE 1-hour programs include riding in a historic replica canal launch boat from the Cushwa Basin to Lock 44 and back to the Cushwa Warehouse. Specific tour times will be announced in May 2018. Reservations are taken by phone at [phone], 7 days in advance, starting May 19, 2018.

 

May 27 - Organ Grinders - All day, Great Falls Tavern, Potomac, Md. The National Capital Chapter of Music Box Society International demonstrates this unique and historic type of entertainment.

 

*The programs at Great Falls Tavern are free, but there is an entrance fee to the park of $10 per single vehicle (subject to change).

 

C&O Canal Spring Visitor Center Hours

 

Stop in one of our visitor centers to speak with a ranger or volunteer and learn about the park.

 

Brunswick Visitor Center [phone]

40 West Potomac St., Brunswick, MD 21716

Thurs. 10 am - 2 pm, Fri. 10 am - 2 pm, Sat. 10 am - 4 pm, Sun. 1 - 4 pm

 

Cumberland Visitor Center  [phone]

Western Maryland Railway Station, 13 Canal St., Room 100, Cumberland, MD 21502

March: Sun. - Mon. 10 am - 4 pm, Tues. - Sat. 9 am - 5 pm

April & May: Daily 9 am - 5 pm

 

Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center  [phone]

11710 MacArthur Blvd., Potomac, MD 20854

Wed-Sun 9 am - 4:30 pm

 

Williamsport Visitor Center  [phone]

205 W. Potomac St., Williamsport, MD 21795

Wed-Sun 9 am - 4:30 pm