Lock 14 on the Miami and Erie Canal

Lock 14 on the Miami and Erie Canal. . The Miami and Erie Canal opened the western Ohio wilderness between Cincinnati and Toledo in the mid-19th century. More than 4000 workers labored to build the canal, earning 30 cents a day, a jigger of whiskey, and room and board. When completed, the canal encouraged settlement and economic development, as agricultural and manufactured products brought high prices when transported by canal boats to market., Originally built of wood, Lock 14 was replaced with a concrete version in 1910-1912 (renovated in 2003). This area was the site of a small community, including a lock tender's house, general store, church, school, an ice house and a few private homes., A large sawmill was also located on the east side of the canal south of the current lock. The mill used water from the canal to power saws for the milling operation. Logs were floated on the canal to the site from the area's numerous hardwood forests. The sawmill manufactured staves used to construct wood barrels. In the 1870s a massive fire-possibly caused by arson-destroyed the sawmill. An estimated 120,000 staves were on site at the time, all of which were destroyed. The mill was not rebuilt. , Although threatened by the competition from railroads, the canal continued to be used to transport agricultural products between Delphos and St. Marys. The Great Flood of 1913 caused extensive damage to the canal system, and last canal boat came through this lock sometime around 1920., 1860 map depicting Lock 14, Picture postcard of Lock 14, Mid-20th century image of the concrete lock, Did You Know? , Barrels were primary containers for shipping on the canal. Thirty or more staves are needed to create a wood barrel., Auglaize County: In Motion enhances our understanding of and appreciation for the many museums and historic sites in Auglaize County that reflect the themes of motion, movement, and transportation., Auglaize County: In Motion is a project of the Auglaize County Historical Society made possible by support from the Ohio Humanities Council, as well as the Midwest Electric Community Connection Fund, St. Marys Community Foundation, Wapakoneta Area Community Foundation, and the City of Wapakoneta's Lodging Tax Grants Program.