Chilo in Clermont County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Locking Through

Chilo: Living and Working with the Ohio River

By TeamOHE, January 6, 2021

1. Locking Through Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

From 1885 to 1929, fifty-one dams were built across the Ohio River. The dams maintained a minimum 9 foot channel depth. To get around a dam, boats passed through a lock.

1. When a boat goes up the river, the upstream gates (A) ane closed and the drain valve (B) is opened This allows the lock chamber to cmpty by gravity. The downstream gates (C) open and allow the bout to enter the chamber

2. The drain valve and downstream gates are closed. Water enters through the opened fill valve (D) until it is level with water beyond the upstream gates.

3. The upstream gates open and the boat leaves the lock chamber to continue up the river. This procedure is reversed if the bot is going river.

Stories
Ralph Lindsey recalled that one boat crew always passed him a bag of coffee as they locked through.

In 1964, a barge moving too fast into the lock knocked the roller gates of their track. Since the Meldahl Dam was nearly completed repairs were never made Chilo Lock and Dam was closed forever.

Air Tanks
The Chilo lock was controlled from the powerhouse. Large air tanks on the third

By TeamOHE, January 6, 2021

2. Locking Through Marker

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floor provided the pressure to open and close the gates.

Roller Gates
The Chilo lock used roller gates instead of miter gates. The gates were made out of wood and laid on iron wheels. They were pulled on their tracks by wire ropes wound on drums.

The advantage of roller gates was that they allowed more room for boats to pass. Their disadvantage was that sediment easily accumulated around the gate's wheels, causing them to jam or derail. Many roller gates were replaced with miter gates. Chilo, however, kept its roller gates throughout its operation.

Erected by Clermont County Park District.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 38° 47.366′ N, 84° 7.908′ W. Marker is in Chilo, Ohio, in Clermont County. Marker is on County Park Road 0.2 miles south of Ohio River Scenic Byway (U.S. 52), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 521 County Park Rd, Chilo OH 45112, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Replacing Chilo (a few steps from this marker); The Flood of 1937 (a few steps from this marker); Search Lights (within shouting distance of this marker); Chilo Lock & Dam #34 Powerhouse

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(within shouting distance of this marker); The Chilo Lock and Dam #34 Walking Tour (within shouting distance of this marker); The "Rye" Field and Water Tower (within shouting distance of this marker); Water Highways (within shouting distance of this marker); The Assistant Lockmaster's House (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chilo.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 14, 2021, by TeamOHE of Wauseon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 27 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 14, 2021, by TeamOHE of Wauseon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.