|
William Price surveyed and laid out the route of the Walhonding Canal. In 1836, the State of Ohio agreed to finance the project. Construction began that same year, shortly after the authorization. The Walhonding Canal was completed in 1841. However, the canal never amounted to much, and canal boats were few and far between. It was mostly used by the local farmers and millers. The Walhonding Canal was often referred to as 25 miles to nowhere. |
|
Originally, the Walhonding Canal was intended to extend to the northwestern part of the state. One idea was to extend it to the mouth of the Black River at Lake Erie. However, 2 proposed extensions were heavily lobbied for by the Public Board of Works. The first plan was to extend the canal from Rochester 23 miles along the Mohican River. The second plan was to extend the canal 21 miles along the Kokosing River to Mt. Vernon. The failure to construct those proposed extensions, and the Walhonding Valley Railroad, led to the abandonment of the Walhonding Canal in 1896. The Walhonding Canal met the Ohio & Erie Canal at Roscoe Village and terminated at Rochester. The canal was 25 miles long, all within Coshocton County, with 11 lift locks and 2 guard locks. The cost to construct the canal was roughly $607,269. |
|
|