Downtown in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Constructing the Canal
"30 Cents and Whiskey"
| | Patterson Boulevard Canal Parkway | |
Photographed by Craig Doda, July 5, 2025
1. Constructing the Canal Marker
Grubbing and Cleaning - Trees and shrubs were removed from the entire width of the canal path.
Mucking and Ditching - Wood, trash, and vegetation was removed ten feet on either bank when set above ground level.
Excavation and Embankment Construction - Embankments were constructed and soil excavated when the canal was below ground level.
Towpaths - Towpaths were laid out on the banks of the canal for boats to be towed by mules when necessary.
Locks - Locks were built for boats to negotiate sharp changes in water levels.
Aqueducts - Aqueducts were constructed to carry the canal over streams.
Bridges - Bridges were erected to carry roads across canals.
The Miami Erie Canal was constructed using simple tools and manual labor. Working conditions could be difficult, with the outbreak of diseases such as malaria, known at the time as "Canal Fever." The standard pay for canal labor was thirty cents a day and a jigger of whiskey, which was believed to cure malaria.
The scoop pictured above was a typical implement used for the construction and maintenance of canals. The scoop measured 2 feet by 32 feet, and was pulled by a mule to excavate land for canal construction.
Topics. This historical marker is listed
this page online
Location. 39° 45.426′ N, 84° 11.269′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of South Patterson Boulevard and East 5th Street, on the right when traveling south on South Patterson Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 130 E 5th St, Dayton OH 45402, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. 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.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Towpaths (here, next to this marker); Dayton and the Canal: Timeline (here, next to this marker); The Canal, by the Numbers (here, next to this marker); Aqueducts (here, next to this marker); Bridges (here, next to this marker); The Canal and the Railroad (here, next to this marker); Anatomy of a Canal Lock (here, next to this marker); The Oregon District (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.
Photographed by Craig Doda, July 5, 2025
2. Constructing the Canal Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 6, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 66 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 6, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
