Old Town North in Alexandria, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Alexandria Canal Turning Basin

(1843-1886)

— Alexandria Heritage Trail, City of Alexandria, Virginia —

Alexandria Canal Turning Basin Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 23, 2020

1. Alexandria Canal Turning Basin Marker

Inscription.

Alexandria Canal Turning Basin. , The Alexandria Canal officially opened on December 2, 1843. The seven-mile long canal extended from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown to Alexandria's ports on the Potomac River. Boats brought coal, limestone, iron ore, port and harvested crops to Alexandria's ports, while boats heading north took fish, salt, building materials and other sundries., Canal boats plied the Alexandria Canal until 1886, when a break occurred in the canal's 1,000-foot long aqueduct bridge that spanned the Potomac River in Georgetown. The federal government seized the opportunity to close the bridge, ending Alexandria's canal boat era., A Wide Basin , The turning basin of the Alexandria Canal covered nearly two city blocks. Shown here on this 1877 map of Alexandria by G. M. Hopkins, the basin was 190 feet in width and 650 feet in length. Locks at the east end of the basin lowered and raised boats to and from the canal's outlet on the Potomac River. Upon completion, Emanuel Francis built a lime kiln adjacent to the turning basin, which allowed him to load and unload lime directly onto barges. However, few industries followed Francis's lead, choosing instead to locate near more accessible railroad lines., This drawing to the right represents a portion of the soil stratigraphy (layers) associated with digging and then later filling in the turning basin. Building the turning basin was a massive undertaking. A typical daily work crew consisted of two dozen laborers and a half dozen horse carts. The basin needed to be big enough to allow boats to fully rotate when entering or exiting the locks, and to accommodate boats queuing up for the lift locks. Archaeologists discovered that some of the dirt removed from the turning basin was mounded on its north side to create a towpath., The canal boat depicted above on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is similar to the vessels that traveled the Alexandria Canal. Draft animals pulled these sturdy, workhorse boats along their seven-mile journey between Alexandria and Georgetown.

The Alexandria Canal officially opened on December 2, 1843. The seven-mile long canal extended from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown to Alexandria's ports on the Potomac River. Boats brought coal, limestone, iron ore, port and harvested crops to Alexandria's ports, while boats heading north took fish, salt, building materials and other sundries.

Canal boats plied the Alexandria Canal until 1886, when a break occurred in the canal's 1,000-foot long aqueduct bridge that spanned the Potomac River in Georgetown. The federal government seized the opportunity to close the bridge, ending Alexandria's canal boat era.

A Wide Basin
The turning basin of the Alexandria Canal covered nearly two city blocks. Shown here on this 1877 map of Alexandria by G. M. Hopkins, the basin was 190 feet in width and 650 feet in length. Locks at the east end of the basin lowered and raised boats to and from the canal's outlet on the Potomac River. Upon completion, Emanuel Francis built a lime kiln adjacent to the turning basin, which allowed him to load and unload lime directly onto barges. However, few industries followed Francis's lead, choosing instead to locate near more accessible railroad lines.

This drawing to the right represents a portion of the soil stratigraphy (layers) associated with digging

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and then later filling in the turning basin. Building the turning basin was a massive undertaking. A typical daily work crew consisted of two dozen laborers and a half dozen horse carts. The basin needed to be big enough to allow boats to fully rotate when entering or exiting the locks, and to accommodate boats queuing up for the lift locks. Archaeologists discovered that some of the dirt removed from the turning basin was mounded on its north side to create a towpath.

The canal boat depicted above on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal is similar to the vessels that traveled the Alexandria Canal. Draft animals pulled these sturdy, workhorse boats along their seven-mile journey between Alexandria and Georgetown.

Erected by City of Alexandria, Virginia; Gables Old Town North; Edens.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Anthropology & Archaeology • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal series list. A significant historical date for this entry is December 2, 1843.

Location. 38° 48.841′ N, 77° 2.586′ W. Marker is in Alexandria, Virginia. It is in Old Town North. It is on Montgomery Street just west of North Pitt Street, on the right when traveling west. The marker

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 23, 2020

2. Alexandria Canal Turning Basin Marker

stands in the Old Town North neighborhood of Alexandria. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 503 Montgomery St, Alexandria VA 22314, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

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 marker: Remnants of Lock #4 of the Alexandria Canal (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tale of Spa Spring (within shouting distance of this marker); Alexandria Canal (1843 - 1886) (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Smoot Lumber Company Planing Mill (about 700 feet away); Cross Canal (about 800 feet away); Next Door Neighbors (approx. 0.2 miles away); Life in "The Berg" (approx. 0.2 miles away); Origins of "The Berg" (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 23, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 783 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 23, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.