In 1836, construction began on a canal project known as the Muskingum River Improvement. Once completed in 1841, the Ohio River traffic was able to travel up the Mighty Muskingum River and into Zanesville. The Dresden Side-cut connected the Ohio & Erie Canal to the Muskingum River in Dresden. This alternative route provided a shortcut to the southeastern section of the state.

The Muskingum River Improvement had 11 lift locks, 11 dams, and 5 side-cut canals along the 91 mile stretch from Dresden to Marietta. It was one of the first river canalization schemes in the United States. The Muskingum River contains the only hand operated locks still in use within the United States. The side-cut canals of the Muskingum River Improvement are the only canals still in use in Ohio.

# 1
# 2
# 3
# 4
# 5
# 6
# 7
# 8
# 9
# 10
# 11