Restoration Efforts Launched for C & O Canal in Georgetown

From The National Park Service: A journey of 5,280 feet begins now. The National Park Service and Georgetown Heritage launch a multi-year restoration of the first mile of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown with the goal of preserving the important history and charm of the area and bringing back the beloved mule-pulled canal boat rides.

Phase one, which is expected to last 18 months, will begin in earnest on November 28, and will reconstruct Lock 3 and repair Lock 4. The area around Lock 3 will be closed for the duration of the project, and the canal will be de-watered through Georgetown. Pedestrian and bicycle detours are posted to guide visitors safely around the construction zone.

If you’re looking forward to paddling in the spring, the park plans to install a temporary dike and re-water the canal upstream from the Foundry Branch waste weir to Lock 5. Although the canal cannot be re-watered to its typical depth, to ensure the safety of workers and property downstream, visitors will be able to canoe and kayak in this stretch of the canal.

For the heavy-lifting of the project to begin, the European basswood tree near Lock 3 will, unfortunately, be removed. The park worked with engineers and restoration experts to try to save the tree, but there was no way to do so. During the project, the bust of Chief Justice William O. Douglas will be removed from the site to be cleaned and preserved, ready to return when the work on Locks 3 and 4 is finished.

For project updates visit go.nps.gov/GeorgetownVisitors. While construction is underway, the public will be invited to provide ideas for a Comprehensive Master Plan to guide future improvements. The partnership between C & O Canal NHP and Georgetown Heritage aims to restore, revitalize and reimagine the first mile of the canal.

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