Carillon in Richmond, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Mule-Fueled Waterway
The granite basin at your feet is a canal lock, a way to link high bodies of water to low ones. There are two locks in this park. They were built around 1830 by black slaves, Irish immigrants and Italian stone masons and are part of the Kanawha Canal — the great water highway that connected Richmond to the western part of Virginia.
These are called Three Mile Locks because they are that distance from the beginning of the canal (the Turning Basin) which was located along Canal Street between 7th and 12th Streets where the James Center is today.
Note the foot-deep niches in the walls on both sides of the lock. This is where the canal gates rested when they were open. The curved end of the niche is where the gates swung on large wooden posts.
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With care, you may find a few shallow grooves along the edge of the lock. These were made by ropes abrading the rock while holding boats in place as the water level changed.
Erected by Kanawha Kiwanis Club.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1830.
Location. 37° 32.203′ N, 77° 29.2′ W. Marker has been reported damaged. Marker is in Richmond, Virginia. It is in Carillon. It can be reached from Pump House Drive west of Park Drive (Virginia Route 161), on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1600 Pump House Drive, Richmond VA 23221, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Pumps and Parties (within shouting distance of this marker); Breaking Stones with Feathers (within shouting distance of this marker); Byrd Park Pump House (within shouting distance of this marker); Richmond at the Falls (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Water Water Everywhere (about 600 feet away); Bald Eagles
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 11, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 344 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 11, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
