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The Old Welland Canal
Photo by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted December, 2009
Photo by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted June, 2012
Photo Source - Wikipedia
Plaque Location
The Region of Niagara
The City of Thorold
On a stone cairn at the west end of the bridge
carrying Road 20 over the Welland Canal
Coordinates: N 43 04.589 W 79 12.678 |
Plaque Text
Originally conceived in 1818 by its promoter, William Hamilton Merritt, to divert trade from the Erie Canal and New York and built under private auspices, the canal was opened to traffic in 1829. After additional work in 1833, the canal with its 40 wooden locks linked Port Colborne on Lake Erie and Port Dalhousie on Lake Ontario and brought prosperity to its environs by permitting the export of Upper Canadian staples through New York. In 1841 reconstruction was begun by the Canadian government to improve the canal's military and commercial value.
Related Ontario plaque
The First Welland Canal 1824-1833
More
Information
More
Canals
Here are the visitors' comments for this page.
> Posted February 11, 2012
It may be interesting to note that Sidney Hough of Merritton (d 2011) had a large collection of photos and information about early canals particularly that which ran through Merritton. Some of the collection would be of museum quality and all valuable in this regard. Contact with his brother George Hough in Thorold may reveal its whereabouts. R. Ernest Jukes
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