Smiths Falls in Lanark County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Welcome to Combined Locks

Bienvenue à l'écluse combinée

Welcome <i>to Combined Locks</i> Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 7, 2018

1. Welcome to Combined Locks Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

This lockstation is one link in the chain of rivers, lakes and waterway structures that make up the Rideau Canal. Built under the direction of the British military between 1826 and 1832 to serve as a supply route, the canal is an outstanding example of 19th century ingenuity in the fields of construction and engineering. A large number of original canal structures are still in existence today.

Here at Combined Locks, old and new technology stand side by side. The original flight of three locks was completed in 1831. These were replaced by a single automated lock in 1974 when a fixed bridge was constructed over the canal to accommodate increasing automobile traffic. The old locks, while not operational, have been preserved for viewing. By crossing the locks and following the pathway beneath the bridge you will find another piece of the lockstation's past, a defensible lockmaster's house constructed in 1841.

The Rideau Canal is part of Canada's family of National Historic Sites. It is maintained and operated by Parks Canada.

At Smiths Falls, the Rideau River descends almost 11 metres in less than 1/2 kilometre.

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To make that drop navigable, canal engineers designed an upper, detached lock connected to a long basin and three lower locks emptying into the next reach. A waste weir and a 7-metre-high stone arch dam were built on the north side of the basin to control the water level.

[Top right drawing caption reads]
William Clegg, wash drawing, National Archives of Canada.
———————————————
Ce poste d'éclusage fait partie des nombreux cours d'eau, lacs et structures qui forment le canal Rideau. Construit sous la direction des militaires britanniques entre 1826 et 1832 pour servir de voie d'approvisionnement, le canal est un témoignage exceptionnel de l'ingénuité déployée au XIX^e siècle dans le domaine de la construction et du génie. Une bonne partie des structures d'origine du canal sont encore en place de nos jours.

Ici, à l'écluse combinée, l'ancien et le moderne se côtoient. L'échelle de trois écluses originale, terminée en 1831, a été remplacée par une unique écluse automatisée en 1974, lorsqu'un pont fixe a été érigé au-dessue du canal pour accommoder la circulation automobile de plus en plus dense. Les anciennes écluses ont été préservées,

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 7, 2018

2. Welcome to Combined Locks Marker

bien qu'elles ne servent plus. En traversant les écluses et en suivant la piste sous le pont, vous trouverez en autre vestige du passé du poste d'éclusage : la résidence fortifiée du maître éclusier, bâtie en 1841.

Le Canal-Rideau, dont l'entretien et l'exploitation sont assurés par Parcs Canada, fait partie de la grande famille des lieux historiques nationaux du Canada.

À Smiths Falls, la rivière Rideau descend de presque 11 mètres sur moins d'un demi-kilomètre. Pour rendre cette dénivellation navigable, les ingénieurs du canal ont conçu en amont une écluse détachée reliée à un long bassin et, en aval, trois écluses se déversant dans le bief suivant. Un déversoir et un barrage-voûte en pierre de 7 mètres de hauteur on été construits sur la rive nord du bassin pour contrôler le niveau de l'eau.

[La légende du dessin en haut à droite se lit]
William Clegg, lavis, Archives nationales du Canada.

Erected by Parks/Parcs Canada.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1826.

Location. 44° 53.816′ N, 76° 1.272′ W.

Non-operational Rideau Canal Lock image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 7, 2018

3. Non-operational Rideau Canal Lock

Permanent concrete Beckwith Street bridge in upper right made the lock no longer functional

Marker is in Smiths Falls, Ontario, in Lanark County. It is on Canal Street just west of Beckwith Street South (Provincial Highway 15), on the left when traveling west. Marker kiosk is just west of Smith Falls Combined Lockstation Lock 29a. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 34 Beckwith Street South, Smiths Falls ON K7A 2A8, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Haliburton Highlands to Ottawa Valley

and in Eastern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Crossroads of the Rideau / À la croisée des chemins (here, next to this marker); HMCS/MHCS Smiths Falls (within shouting distance of this marker); Smiths Falls (within shouting distance of this marker); War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Automated Lock / Une écluse automatique

Lockstation 29 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 7, 2018

4. Lockstation 29

Now a seasonal Rideau Canal information center

(within shouting distance of this marker); Rotary Club Swimming Pool Stone / La pierre de la piscine du club Rotary (within shouting distance of this marker); Victoria Park / Parc Victoria (within shouting distance of this marker); The underwater view / La vue sous l'eau (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Smiths Falls.

Also see . . . Rideau Canal National Historic Site. (Submitted on October 29, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Additional keywords. Welcome to Combined Locks

Smiths Falls Combined Lock Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 7, 2018

5. Smiths Falls Combined Lock Sign

Credits. This page was last revised on March 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 293 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 29, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.