Delphos in Allen County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Delphos / Miami Erie Canal
Photographed By Craig Doda, May 18, 2019
1. Delphos side of the marker
Inscription.
Delphos, also, Miami Erie Canal. .
Delphos. Delphos began and flourished as separate settlements: East Bredeick, West Bredeick, Howard, and Section Ten (named after a section of the canal). In 1851, Father John Otto Bredeick, a Bavarian priest who had purchased and founded this area in 1840, named the settlements Delphos. The town became a center of canal traffic rivaled in the west only by Fort Wayne, Indiana. The first canal boat, carrying Governor Bebb as a passenger, passed through Delphos on July 4. 1845. Farmers from miles around came to load their produce on the canal boats. However, the building of the Ohio and Indiana Railroad in 1854 from Crestline, Ohio to Fort Wayne shifted the center of the trade and the rapid growth of Delphos abated. This section of the canal is one of three which is intact. It feeds water from Grand Reservoir (Lake St. Marys) - to industries in St. Marys and Delphos.,
Miami Erie Canal. This marker is on the right of - way of the old Miami and Erie Canal. Gov. DeWitt Clinton of New York broke Ground for the canal on July 21, 1825 just below Middletown. Built in sections, the canal was opened from end to end in 1845. It was 248.8 Miles Long, and here on the Ohio River and 395 feet above Lake Erie. It included 19 aqueducts, 3 guard locks, 103 lift locks and 3 reservoirs. Navigation began November 28, 1827 and, at the peak of operation, about 400 boats plied the "big ditch." The coming of the railroad signaled its decline. Operation ended officially in 1877, but the canal was used in part through the early 1900's. The canal provided western Ohio with badley needed transportation and water power and was instrumental in welding the state together politically and economically.
Delphos
Delphos began and flourished as separate settlements: East Bredeick, West Bredeick, Howard, and Section
Ten (named after a section of the canal). In 1851, Father John Otto Bredeick, a Bavarian priest who had purchased and founded this area in
1840, named the settlements Delphos. The town became a center of canal
traffic rivaled in the west only by Fort Wayne, Indiana. The first canal boat, carrying Governor Bebb as a passenger, passed through Delphos on
July 4. 1845. Farmers from miles around came to load their produce on
the canal boats. However, the building of the Ohio and Indiana Railroad
in 1854 from Crestline, Ohio to Fort Wayne shifted the center of the trade
and the rapid growth of Delphos abated. This section of the canal is one
of three which is intact. It feeds water from Grand Reservoir (Lake St. Marys) - to industries in St. Marys and Delphos.
Miami Erie Canal
This marker is on the right of - way of the old
Miami and Erie Canal. Gov. DeWitt Clinton of New York
broke Ground for the canal on July 21, 1825 just below Middletown. Built in sections, the canal was opened
from end to end in 1845. It was 248.8 Miles Long, and here on the Ohio River and 395 feet above Lake Erie. It
included 19 aqueducts, 3 guard locks, 103 lift locks and 3 reservoirs.
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Navigation began November 28, 1827 and,
at the peak of operation, about 400 boats plied the "big ditch." The coming of the railroad signaled its decline.
Operation ended officially in 1877, but the canal was used in part through the early 1900's. The canal provided western Ohio
with badley needed transportation and water power and was instrumental in welding the state together politically and economically.
Erected 1953 by The Delphos Chamber Of Commerce.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the The Miami & Erie Canal series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 4, 1845.
Location. 40° 50.833′ N, 84° 20.417′ W. Marker is in Delphos, Ohio, in Allen County. Marker is on Lincoln Highway (Ohio Route 66) just west of North Main Street (Ohio Route 66), on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 116 W 5th St, Delphos OH 45833, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 12, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 231 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 11, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
