Havre de Grace in Harford County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Mouth of Deer Creek
Photographed by Adam Margolis, January 9, 2023
1. The Mouth of Deer Creek Marker
Inscription.
The Mouth of Deer Creek. . The appearance of the area around the mouth of Deer Creek was changed by the construction of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal. A 246'-long dam, consisting of a heavy timber frame filled with rocks and covered with planking, raised the level of the creek and suppled water for the canal downriver to Havre de Grace. The raised level of Deer Creek also allowed barges to be towed upstream to the flint mill at Stafford. , A three-span wooden towpath bridge crossed the creek near the dam. It was wide enough to accommodate small work wagons and carriages as well as the mules that pulled the canal barges. , Southbound boats entered the creek below Lock #7 and were towed in the creek a distance of one mile to Lock #8. This lock was not used to raise or lower boats, but functioned as a guard lock, protecting the canal by keeping excess water from Deer Creek from flowing into the canal. , Remnants of the stone abutments for the towpath bridge and the dam are still visible. Even some of the wood timbers of the dam are visible at low water. The current bridge was built for the railroad spur used during the construction of the Conowingo Dam. The large stones which are in the chamber of lock #8 were dumped there during the construction of the railroad.
The appearance of the area around the mouth of Deer Creek was changed by the construction of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal. A 246'-long dam, consisting of a heavy timber frame filled with rocks and covered with planking, raised the level of the creek and suppled water for the canal downriver to Havre de Grace. The raised level of Deer Creek also allowed barges to be towed upstream to the flint mill at Stafford.
A three-span wooden towpath bridge crossed the creek near the dam. It was wide enough to accommodate small work wagons and carriages as well as the mules that pulled the canal barges.
Southbound boats entered the creek below Lock #7 and were towed in the creek a distance of one mile to Lock #8. This lock was not used to raise or lower boats, but functioned as a guard lock, protecting the canal by keeping excess water from Deer Creek from flowing into the canal.
Remnants of the stone abutments for the towpath bridge and the dam are still visible. Even some of the wood timbers of the dam are visible at low water. The current bridge was built for the railroad spur used during the construction of the
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Conowingo Dam. The large stones which are in the chamber of lock #8 were dumped there during the construction of the railroad.
Location. 39° 36.766′ N, 76° 8.939′ W. Marker is in Havre de Grace, Maryland, in Harford County. It is on Stafford Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 851 Stafford Rd, Port Deposit MD 21904, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Maryland. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. 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 one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2023, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. This page has been viewed 487 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 14, 2023, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
