Flood Marker

Flood Marker

Photo: NPS / Claire Hassler

Quick Facts

Amenities

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

The Patowmack Canal, 1785-1828

This canal, skirting the 76-foot drop of the Great Falls on the Potomac, was the most demanding and complex of the five canals built by the Patowmack Company.

The company was founded by George Washington on May 17, 1785 to improve the Potomac River for access and trade with the western frontier. 

The agreement that was developed between Maryland and Virginia to share the river for their common purpose led to further meetings- Annapolis (1786) and Philadelphia (1787) and to drafting of the U.S. Constitution.