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Canal Boat Tour
The canal boat tour takes about an hour. On the tour, you will travel through a lock and learn more about the canal, its history, and the people who made a living delivering cargo between Cumberland and Georgetown.
Georgetown grew to accommodate the canal's business. New wharves supported the distribution of coal, stone, and timber. Flour, paper, and cotton milling became successful industries in the town, using the canal as a new source of water power.
The Georgetown section of the canal includes four locks. As boats approached Georgetown and lined up to unload cargo, they created traffic jams on the canal. Boat crews sometimes waited days to unload before they could begin the return trip.
Canal families eagerly anticipated their arrival in Georgetown. After a week on the boat, traveling through rural country and small towns, parents would allow their children to go up to the city's streets to buy candy, ice cream or see a movie. |