Cultural Landscape Profiles
The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal was constructed between 1828 and 1850 and extends 184.5 miles along the Potomac River. Originating in Georgetown in the District of Columbia and terminating in Cumberland, Maryland, the boundaries of the cultural landscape follow the canal corridor and include several component historic designed and vernacular cultural landscapes. Serving as one of the primary trade routes in the eastern United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the C&O Canal is nationally significant for its association with American industrial, commercial, social, cultural, and transportation history.Historic resources encompass a multitude of features associated with development of the canal including 74 lift locks, 11 aqueducts, 7 dams, and over 150 culverts as well as numerous archeological sites, buildings and structures such as lockhouses and a 3,117-foot tunnel that carries the canal and the towpath through a large shale rock formation. The C&O Canal National Historical Park was established in 1971. Today, the park includes approximately 20,239 acres of land encompassing a variety of resources and recreational opportunities.
Historic Structure and Cultural Landscape Reports
Discover NPS reports about the historic structures and cultural landscapes of Chesapeake & Ohio National Historical Park.
Source: Data Store Saved Search 4839 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
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C&O National Historical ParkLast updated: October 4, 2021