As the nation turns its attention to the 250th anniversary of American independence, travelers are seeking unique ways to interact with U.S. history. The C&O Canal Trust can satisfy this demand by offering one of the most distinctive lodging options in the United States right now: the opportunity to spend the night in a historic lockhouse situated right along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. The Trust manages seven lockhouses under its “Canal Quarters” program and announced on Friday – as its kickoff to National Preservation Month – that an eighth will be ready for visitors later this year.
To understand why the Canal Quarters are so special, you must first understand the importance of the C&O Canal to American history:
- Ground broke on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal on July 4, 1828, which means that the nation and the canal share a birthday … separated by 52 years.
- The canal was signed into effect by James Monroe, the young nation’s fourth president, as one of the final acts of his term. It was expected to play such an important role in the country’s progress that its groundbreaking was presided over by the fifth president, John Quincy Adams.
- The canal was designed to connect the Chesapeake Bay to the Ohio River, though construction ceased before the last leg was completed.
- Today, the canal extends 184.5 miles from Georgetown in Washington, D.C., to the town of Cumberland in the mountains of western Maryland, following the winding path of the Potomac River.
- In the canal’s heyday, boats laden with cargo – including lumber and other building materials, plus food products like meat and grains – moved east and west along the waterway.
- Those boats were pulled by sturdy mules that traversed a towpath, and boat captains and their families worked with lock keepers and theirs, who helped the boats navigate the elevation changes. Those lock keepers lived in lockhouses that dotted the landscape along the canal.
The National Park Service (NPS) acquired the C&O Canal in 1938 and designated it as a National Historical Park in 1971. In fact, today it’s the most visited National Historical Park in the country, with hikers and cyclists traveling back and forth along the old towpath as they explore nearly 200 miles of countryside leading from Washington and across Maryland. The C&O Canal Trust was established in 2007 to protect and promote the park, working in tandem with the NPS to help maintain the trail, preserve the natural and cultural resources found along it, and coordinate educational programs, all with the intent of enhancing the visitor experience.
The Canal Quarters program is one of the best examples of putting that mission into effect. People who love the outdoors have the chance to stay in 200-year-old lockhouses and get a better understanding of the canal’s history; people who love history get the opportunity to experience the lockhouses firsthand and explore nature in a way they probably never have. Each lockhouse is themed to a specific era in C&O history. They can accommodate up to eight overnight guests and can be booked for up to three nights.
Accommodations range from three full-amenity options that feature electricity, indoor plumbing, heating and air conditioning, kitchens and professional cleaning services to three rustic options that are more like cabins, with no running water, electricity or heat and air conditioning. One house is a hybrid that offers electricity and heat, but no air conditioning or indoor plumbing. Rates range from $75 to $255 per night, depending on amenity level and time of year. Fees go toward offsetting the costs of maintaining the lockhouses and the canal itself. Along with generous donations from individual donors, the fees from past guests who have stayed in lockhouses have helped pay for rehabilitating the newest lockhouse to join the Canal Quarters program.
Lockhouse #8, which is located in the town of Cabin John, Maryland, will be a half-amenity house, meaning it will have electricity but no indoor plumbing. It will also offer a fire pit, picnic table and porch for guests. Rehabilitation efforts began last month, and the lockhouse now boasts new flooring, electrical systems and framing. This house will be furnished to reflect the 1960s, the era when the C&O Canal was designated a monument.
This year is the ideal time to celebrate the country’s stories by making a reservation to sleep surrounded by history. Whether they’re curious about adaptive reuse of historic buildings, excited about having a one-of-a-kind experience at a NPS site, or eager to experience the special connection between history and recreation that’s found all along the C&O Canal, travelers who stay at one of the Canal Quarters are helping to preserve a part of American history.
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