Lockkeeper's House

Lockkeeper's House

National Park Service photo

Quick Facts

Amenities

3 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Public Transit

The Lockkeeper’s House, located at 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, is the Washington’s oldest extant structure in the nation’s capital and one of the few surviving structures from the era of the Washington City Canal. Built around 1837, the house originally served as the residence for the lockkeeper who operated the canal locks that connected the Washington City Canal to the Potomac River and the Anacostia River. The canal itself, authorized in the early 1800s, was intended to facilitate commercial traffic through the city and provide a direct water route from the Anacostia to the Potomac. However, by the mid-19th century, the canal had fallen into disuse due to competition from railroads and recurring flooding.

The Lockkeeper’s House is a modest, two-story brick structure with a gabled roof and simple Federal-style detailing, reflecting the practical purpose of its original function. Over the years, the building has had a variety of uses, including serving as a private residence and offices for government and nonprofit organizations. Its preservation offers a rare glimpse into Washington’s early infrastructure and everyday working life during the city’s formative decades.

Today, the Lockkeeper’s House is open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Inside, visitors can view exhibits and experience an audio-visual presentation that explores the founding and development of Washington, D.C., providing context about the city’s early growth, the canal system, and the role of the lockkeeper in maintaining the city’s waterways.

Visiting the Lockkeeper’s House offers an opportunity to connect with the early 19th-century history of the nation’s capital and understand the city’s development from a canal-based commercial hub to the federal capital known today. Its survival amid modern urban growth serves as a tangible reminder of the city’s layered past and the practical lives of those who helped maintain its early infrastructure.