Whitewater Canal
The Whitewater Canal, which was built between 1836 and 1847, spanned a distance of seventy-six miles and stretched from Lawrenceburg, Indiana on the Ohio River to Hagerstown, Indiana.
History
Birth of a canal
As with most transportation improvements during the early nineteenth century, industry paved the way within individual states. After successful canal development projects further east in the United States, it would not be long until canals would soon be dug across the Midwest. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 paved the way for improvement projects across the United States and changed the course of American transportation history. The Erie Canal was an immediate financial success. This really set the precedent for future canals and proved canals could provide a viable contribution to local economies.
Amidst all of this there was the need for a high-speed transportation system that could link the Whitewater Valley to the Ohio River. Before the canal, farmers had to transport their goods and livestock to Cincinnati, Ohio on badly rutted and often impassable roads. The journey to Cincinnati could take several days.
