The last of the canal for now

We came across this little cemetery, decided to stop and check it out. To see if we saw any names we knew.
There was Titus, Harpers and Pratts. Two Civil War Veterans too. They had flags on their graves. These graves are dated back to the times of the canal. I could just see these people getting on the canal boats. There is a Doctor buried there too. I'm sure he took care of some of the diseases they had doing the building of the canal.

Every old canal needs a snake in the bottom.

This is a replica of the old canals, but there was no wrought iron on top. In 1845 the canal was completed and along came the competition. From 1850 to 1860 the railroad system increased from 375 to 2946 miles. They built right along the towpath of the canal. You could travel the full length of the canal for 10.00, but it took 4 or 5 days on the canal. I'm sure the rail system was faster.
We hope you have enjoyed our trip along the canal with us. We hope you will have appreciation for all the hardships they went thru, to bring us better transportation. Our great grandchildren will probably think we rode on these canal boats.

More along the canal

This is the sign for the aqueduct at six mile creek under the canal.

This is a replica that they have built to show you what they really looked like. Did you know the Ohio Canals prior to the Civil War returned to the State nearly seven million dollars in net receipts. The canals were also a major factor in Ohio's major population growth, wealth and power. In fact the population expansion in Ohio jumped 68% between 1830 and 1840. Indirect effects of the canals in Ohio include raising the prices of labor and products within Ohio, which promoted the growth of industries such as agriculture and mining. Wheat grown in Central Ohio went from 50 cents to 75 cents.

These stones are limestone and they were used to build the locks, some locks were made out of wood when the stone wasn't available.
The canal was a profitable adventure for the state of Ohio, earning over and above the cost of construction and maintenance. It earned 15% dividend in an age when 3% was considered excellent. 80 year life span the canal is credited with an exciting period of growth. Historians agree that no other mode of transportation has ever contributed as much as quick and cheap as the canal.

More along the canal

I really liked this part of the canal, nothing like a good love story and murder mystery. The story goes that Bill Jones and Jack Billings were both in love with Minnie Warren. Well Minnie picked Jack for her lover and Bill did not like being jilted. So one dark night Jack and Minnie were coming home from a hot date and Bill went to the bridge with his axe, hid and waited for them to come home. He swung the axe and knocked Jack's head clear off. Minnie panicked, screamed and fell from the buggy into the canal and drowned. Bill disappeared and when a skelton was found in the nearby well years later people asked if it was suicide or justice. I voted on justice, how about you. I was concerned if they were using that impure water.

This was the bridge where the story unfolded.

This is the six mile creek where the aqueduct went under the canal. There were 19 of these along the canal. This one is still operating. They are opening this to let water into Delphos for the canal days.

More on the canal

This is a painting on the end of the Delphos Herald Newspaper building in Delphos Ohio.

Looked very authenic. Guess this painting gets scrubbed every so often. Wished we could have pushed
the pickup truck out of the picture.

My apologies to the artist I couldn't make his name out. But it is good.

More on the canal

This is at Delphos OH, they are getting ready for canal days next month. We tried to go to the museum but it was closed. All volunteer help so you know how that goes. They are trying to send more water to Delphos for the canal days.

We know you can't read the writing on the mile marker, but we knew what it was all about. At this spot it is 155 miles down to the Ohio River. To us the mile marker means something, when we are traveling it is always how many miles yet. Our nephew in Shelby County has the 100 mile marker on his farm. Can't imagine how many of these slabs were used for fill.

More along the canal

Most of the locks that had water in them have a real thick like scum on them

See how close some of the locks had to be.

This is a better picture where there is water, doesn't it look better?

During the active life of the Miami and Erie Canal, canal boats made transportation of passengers and goods possible from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. Passengers fees were 2 to 3 cents per mile, with the hauling of freight costing 2 cents per mile per ton with fees going down to 1.5 cents on trips over 100 miles. The canal boats traveled 4 to 5 miles per hour. We thought we used to get cheap loads!

More along the canal

This explains why the deep cut was needed. I cannot imagine the conditions or how hard they worked to put this strip of the canal in. Remember this is the highest point. There was no ditch diggers, no bull dozers, no earth movers. The trees had to be cleared off first. They built the towpaths first, then the canals.
When the canal was first started this land was all swampy too. It ran from the Ohio River to Toledo 249 miles. The Miami and Erie canal was built between 1825 to 1845. The canal had 19 aqueducts, three guard locks, and 103 lift locks. The series of 105 canal locks raised canal boats 395 feet above Lake Erie, and 513 above the Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio. Each canal lock was 90 feet long by 15 feet. The peak of the Miami and Erie Canal at the "Loramie Summit" extended 21 miles from Lock 1-N in New Bremen Ohio to lock 1-S in Lockington north of Piqua, OH. The entire canal system was 301.49 miles long and cost $8,062,680.07. The canal touched 44 of the 88 counties in OH.

Canal minimum construction standards included:
1. 4ft. water depth
2. 40 ft. wide at water level
3. 10ft. wide towpath in addition to mandated outer slopes
4. All slopes are 4-1/2 ft. horizontal to 4 ft. perpendicular

Canal boats could be up to 14 Ft. wide. If the boats needed to meet each other, one would hug the edge of the bank, there just wasn't much room. They would have to drop there rope in the water.
You might want to know the state mandated a speed limit of 4 miles per hour, they averaged 3 miles per hour for the trip. It took time to go through the locks. The reason to keep the speed limit down was to keep from having a wake that washes against the bank and washes the bank away. It was also easier on the mules. They would travel 16 to 20 miles before changing mules.

This is how too many of the canals look today with hardly no water. Just growing up with brush.
You realize the ST Marys Reservoir was formed in St Marys (formerly Gyrtys town), the Loramie lake named after Pierre Loramie and Indian Lake (formerly Lewistown Lake) were all formed to supply water for the canal. I'll bet you thought they were just for your enjoyment!

Miami and Erie canal

Belle of St Marys, wish I knew what the horses name is.

No water in this lock, this is the locl in St Marys.

Be sure and double click on these plaques so you can read them easier. This little map across the top of this plaque explains why we needed the canal and the locks. If you know us personally you will know we have a soft spot for the canals. Especially the one town of Lockington. They had 5 locks in this little town and also the biggest one, It was known as the "Big Lock". It had the biggest lift.
When I was a kid we lived right next to the canal. I'm going to bore you with a story. Our driveway was on a little hill, I was playing in the car. Mother called me and when I got out of the car and slammed the door the car rolled down the bank into the canal (no water, Praise the Lord). Well the people in the grocery store (my Dad and Mother had in the front of our home) all came running they knew I was under the car and they were worried. Well they didn't worry long when somebody saw me on the bank looking on. Do I need to tell you the rest of the story, I don't remeber who gave it to me but it was either Dad or Mom.
Another time a neighbor kid almost drowned in the canal, he was short for his age and had on a heavy fur coat. There were no sides or rails on the culvert, the wind blew him in, the coat soaked up water and pulled him under but they got him out. He didn't get spanked for standing so close to the edge.
Lockington used to be called Lockport or Locksport, don't know when they changed it.
An old man used to tell how the kids would ice skate to Ft Loramie, have a big bonfire (party) and skate back home. Lockington has a big basin there beside the one lock where the boats would wait to get thru the locks. Or they could get repairs there too if needed. If you are a canal buff then you will appreciate our feelings for the locks. They are starting to restore some of the locks, the locktenders house, etc. They didn't start soon enough as so much as been destroyed.

Easy Campground

More of our free loaders.

More beauty from our awesome God

Our Home Easy Campground

An old silo that we like to look at.

We had some excitement over the weekend. These 2 guys came into the campground with a small pop up and a van with a long trailer, loaded with odd things. They started putting all these pipes antenna looking things and sure enough they were. They are Ham operators entered in a contest of some sort. So here it is and they worked on their contest till midnight (I guess, I went to bed and quit watching). The next AM it all came down and away they went. No report don't know if they won the contest will never know.

Our backyard, these are more modern, but we enjoy.

Non paying guests, the owner doesn't like their mess so he chases them out with his cycle.