Existing comment:
This is the Conococheague Creek Aqueduct. It was built in 1834. The C&O Canal had eleven of them between Georgetown and Cumberland, each carrying water over water. This was necessary because there were several large streams which would have interrupted the flow of the water and boats on the C&O Canal. In 1920, a canal boat bumped into the wall of the bridge. The wall collapsed into the river and the boat followed it. No one was hurt but the aqueduct was seriously damaged. It was repaired using a wooden wall but that got wiped out in the flood of 1924 which closed the canal for good. This is why you see this picture of the aqueduct minus one whole wall. |