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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Cabin John in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Swing-Gate Locks

 
 
Swing-Gate Locks Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 20, 2018
1. Swing-Gate Locks Marker
Inscription. Most canal locks were "swing-gate" locks, opened by pulling or pushing long balance beams that projected from the gates.

Stone for the Seven Locks (locks 7 through 14) was cut and finished by stonemasons who were paid by the "piece." Arrows, pine trees, hourglasses, and other signs marked their work for the paymaster. Some of their marks can still be seen in the lock masonry.

The lock chamber was filled or emptied by opening small butterfly gates — called "paddles" — at the bottom of each wooden lock gate. This was done by turning long metal rods, or "stems." Boats going up canal to Cumberland entered the lower level and were lifted eight feet. Boats going down entered a filled lock chamber and were slowly lowered, a job that took about ten minutes.
 
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & CommerceWaterways & Vessels.
 
Location. 38° 58.337′ N, 77° 10.306′ W. Marker is in Cabin John, Maryland, in Montgomery County. Marker can be reached from Clara Barton Parkway, 2 miles east of Capital Beltway Inner Loop (Interstate 495), on the right when traveling east. On the
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grounds of C&O Canal Lock 11. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6410 83rd Place, Cabin John MD 20818, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Lock-Keepers (here, next to this marker); Drop Gate Locks (approx. 0.2 miles away); At All Hours (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lockhouse 10 (approx. 0.2 miles away); "…an extravagant expression of Victorian romanticism." (approx. 1.2 miles away); "The best scenery lies beyond the city, especially in the neighborhood of Cabin John Creek…" (approx. 1.2 miles away); Building The Cabin John Bridge (approx. 1.2 miles away); Working Hard To Survive (approx. 1½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cabin John.
 
Swing-Gate Locks Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 20, 2018
2. Swing-Gate Locks Marker
Swing-Gate Lock image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 20, 2018
3. Swing-Gate Lock
Swing-Gate Lock image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 20, 2018
4. Swing-Gate Lock
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on September 22, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 142 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 20, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 29, 2024