BGuthrie Photos: NC -- Roanoke -- Roanoke Canal Park -- Aqueduct

NC -- Roanoke -- Roanoke Canal Park -- Aqueduct:

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[1] RCANAA_150601_01.JPG	[2] RCANAA_150601_04.JPG	[3] RCANAA_150601_11.JPG
[4] RCANAA_150601_13.JPG	[5] RCANAA_150601_16.JPG	[6] RCANAA_150601_19.JPG
[7] RCANAA_150601_26.JPG	[8] RCANAA_150601_31.JPG	[9] RCANAA_150601_39.JPG
[10] RCANAA_150601_45.JPG	[11] RCANAA_150601_49.JPG	[12] RCANAA_150601_50.JPG
[13] RCANAA_150601_54.JPG

Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. RCANAA_150601_01.JPG: Aqueduct Parking Lot Access: Nearby Points of Interest: Aqueduct (Edwin Akers Aqueduct Park) (at 6.3 Mile) The Aqueduct, just a 4 minute walk from the parking area, was built in the early 1800s to span the Chockoyotte Creek. Best viewed from the observation deck on the south side, the Aqueduct is one of the best preserved examples of early 19th century canal architecture. Walking tips going East: The short trail east to the Aqueduct lies in the original canal bed. The high trail on the left follows the towpath. The trail continues past the Aqueduct towards historic Weldon. The old Weldon Cotton Mill can be observed as you follow the trail along Mill Street. Walking tips going West: Enjoy a beautiful lush lowland forest walk to the west of the Aqueduct parking lot. A pond, which may have been a quarry site in the 1800s and was used for gravel harvesting in the middle 20th century, can be viewed from the trail. Scenic vistas of the Roanoke River can be enjoyed at points along the north end of the pond.
2. RCANAA_150601_19.JPG: The Aqueduct Bridging Chockoyotte Creek The aqueduct was completed around 1824 and was one of the first structures built before the Roanoke Canal opened. Originally designed to have two keystone arches by North Carolina's state engineer Hamilton Fulton, the final structure was changed on-site to have only one. The arch's foundation was cut directly into the hard granite bedrock. Precisely cut stone blocks were then placed without the use of mortar into an arch spanning Chockoyotte Creek; only gravity holds them in place. Once the arch was completed, additional stone blocks were added on top to create a three-foot deep channel from one embankment to the other. A mixture of wet clay and sand -- called puddle -- was then layered into the bottom of the canal passage to make the aqueduct waterproof. In the 1890s, the Roanoke Canal was renovated for hydro-electric power, and that required a deeper channel. Since the aqueduct could not be dug out, the sides were built up four additional feet. Even with the increased weight and flow of water, the aqueduct remained firm until the canal was closed in the late 1910s. Since then, it has stood as a grand monument to the engineering ingenuity of the men who built the Roanoke Canal. From the observation deck, several different types of stonework are visible that mark where improvements and repairs to the aqueduct have been made over the years. (A) The original aqueduct only required a channel three feet deep, so it was several feet shorter from the top than it appears today. (B) In the 1890s, the canal owners deepened the aqueduct by building up the channel walls. The top four feet of stone are recognized by their darker color and different tooling marks where they were cut. (C) Several floods -- called freshets -- were responsible for causing extensive damage over the lifespan of the canal. Major floods in 1834 and 1850 threatened to close the canal. The repaired abutment (on the right side of the aqueduct seen from the overlook) was the result of "high waters" washing it out in 1910. In 1912, another flood occurred that washed out other portions of the canal, consequently closing it for good. The aqueduct is only one of many man-made structures built on this part of Chockoyotte Creek. During the American Civil War, Confederate troops built breastworks with five cannon emplacements on the hill nearby to protect Weldon's railroads and the canal from Union raiders. At least one road had a bridge crossing the creek south and within site of the aqueduct. A wine bottling plant build by Paul Garrett was located nearby on the banks of Chockoyotte Creek along with his personal home. His company thrived until 1909 when the need for larger facilities, prohibition laws, and other factors caused it to close. Today, the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District operates their wastewater treatment plant within sight downstream.
3. RCANAA_150601_26.JPG: The Aqueduct Bridging Chockoyotte Creek When the canal was built, quarrymen and stone masons split, cut, and dressed all the granite block by hand. A common method of of splitting stone required boring rows of holes, inserting iron wedges, and then hammering them until the stone separated. Forming the stone into its final shape required a hammer and chissel. At the west end of the aqueduct are two letters engraved into the stone: a reversed "P" and a "B". Local lore identifies this as a stone mason's mark engraved by one of the original craftsmen during the 1820s. The same lore also suggests that Portuguese stone masons were the craftsmen who carved these stones and the ones in the canal's locks. To date, neither of these has been historically substantiated. The exact origin and reason behind the mysterious mark and who the aqueduct masons were may never be known but they do add a human touch to the monolithic structure. During the spring between March and May, large numbers of shad and striped bass may be seen spawning in Chockoyotte Creek. Both types of fish are anadromous, meaning they spawn and hatch in fresh water before returning to salt water estuaries and oceans. Striped bass especially like to flounder in the shallow waters which lead local people to call them rock fish. Every year, the shad and striped bass season bring thousands of anglers to the Roanoke River, but be aware that a fishing license is required and limits are strictly enforced.
4. RCANAA_150601_45.JPG: Stone mason marks
Wikipedia Description: Roanoke Canal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roanoke Canal is a historic canal located near Roanoke Rapids, Halifax County, North Carolina. It was built as part of the Roanoke Navigation System and extends from Roanoke Rapids Lake southeast seven miles to the canal's return into the Roanoke River at Weldon, North Carolina. The Roanoke Navigation System was planned to connect the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. The earliest sections were built under the direction of civil engineer Hamilton Fulton. Extant structures include the middle or lift locks, the aqueduct (1821-1823), and the three-story brick mill (1892) and powerhouse (c. 1904).
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
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