Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
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courtesy of the National Park Service |
Contact Information:
1850 Dual Highway, Suite 100
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301-739-4200
http://www.nps.gov/choh/
Size: 19,591 acres
Location: Park runs along the Potomac River from the mouth of Rock Creek in Georgetown, DC, to Cumberland, MD, encompassing portions of Maryland, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Various sections of the canal can be reached via Routes I-495, I-70, and I-68.
Description: The park follows the route of the 184.5-mile canal along the Potomac River between Washington, DC, and Cumberland, MD. Built between 1828-1850, the canal operated as a transportation route, primarily hauling coal from western Maryland to the port of Georgetown in Washington, DC, until 1924. Hundreds of original structures, including locks, lockhouses, and aqueducts serve as reminders of the canal's role as a transportation system during the Canal Era. In addition, park includes a continuous trail through the spectacular scenery of the Potomac River Valley.
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courtesy of the National Park Service |
Operating Hours: The park is open all daylight hours. Some of the park's six visitor centers operate on a seasonal schedule. Contact one of the visitor centers for current hours of operation.
- Georgetown: 1057 Thomas Jefferson St., NW, Washington, DC 20007; 202-653-5190
- Great Falls Tavern: 11710 MacArthur Blvd, Potomac, MD 20854; 301-299-3613
- Brunswick: 40 West Potomac Street Brunswick, MD 21716; 301-834-7100
- Williamsport: 205 W. Potomac St., Williamsport, MD 21795; 301-582-0813
- Hancock: 326 E. Main St., Hancock, MD 21750; 301-678-5463
- Western Maryland Station: Room 304, 13 Canal St., Cumberland, MD 21502; 301-722-8226
History: Placed under the National Park Service on September 23, 1938; proclaimed Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Monument on January 18, 1961; changed to national historical park on January 8, 1971.
See other National
Historical Parks
See other Maryland National Parks
