Lawrence Township near Canal Fulton in Stark County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Past, Present, Future
Photographed by Craig Doda, May 11, 2024
1. Past, Present, Future Marker
Did you know before canals Ohio's main form of transportation was by horse and wagon? The Ohio & Erie Canal formed an early shipping route connecting Lake Erie to the Ohio River. This canal system linked Ohio to the rest of the nation.
Lock 4 is the last remaining, fully-intact lock in Stark County. One of 146 locks between Cleveland and Portsmouth on the Ohio & Erie Canal, Lock 4 allowed Canal Fulton to grow and flourish as a port along the canal.
The Myth of the Lock Tender's House Have you heard the myth that all locks had lock tenders? Most locks were operated by the boat crews themselves, not by a lock tender. This replica, constructed years after the canal ceased to operate, is actually a Works Progress Administration project from the 1930s. The State of Ohio considered establishing a new state park in the upper reaches of the Muskingum Watershed and restored nearly 10 miles of canal between Canal Fulton and Massillon as part of the project. With the outbreak of World War II, the state park never materialized.
Today, as part of the Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail, Lock 4 provides visitors a look into Stark
this page online
Erected by Stark Parks.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Ohio and Erie Canal series list.
Location. 40° 52.649′ N, 81° 35.029′ W. Marker is near Canal Fulton, Ohio, in Stark County. It is in Lawrence Township. It can be reached from the intersection of Erie Avenue Northwest and Millfield Road Northwest, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6585 Erie Ave NW, Canal Fulton OH 44614, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Amish Country and in Greater Cleveland. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Photographed by Craig Doda, May 11, 2024
2. Past, Present, Future Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Ohio and Erie Canal (here, next to this marker); Canal Fulton Lock No. 4 (here, next to this marker); In Memory of John B. Cullen (within shouting distance of this marker); The Ohio Canals (approx. one mile away); From "Sticking Together to build the canal boat St. Helena II" (approx. 1.1 miles away); Babst Tavern (approx. 1.1 miles away); Historical Flood Mark (approx. 1.1 miles away); Great Western (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Canal Fulton.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 22, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 280 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 22, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
