The First Welland Canal 1824-1833

The First Welland Canal 1824-1833

Photo by Alan L Brown - August 22, 2004

The First Welland Canal 1824-1833

Photo by Alan L Brown - March 25, 2007

Plaque Location

The Region of Niagara
The City of St. Catharines
In the park not far from the foot of the stairs south off Gale Crescent, east of Geneva Street

Plaque Text

Lock number 6 of the original Welland Canal lies in the adjacent watercourse about 213 metres south-west of here. This first or "wooden" canal, constructed 1824-33 by the Welland Canal Company, ran from Port Dalhousie on Lake Ontario to Port Colborne on Lake Erie. William Hamilton Merritt was its chief promoter. With the opening of the canal as far as Port Robinson in 1829, lake boats reached Lake Erie via the Welland and Niagara Rivers. When completed in 1833, the 28-mile canal enabled vessels to pass directly from lake to lake through 40 small timbered locks. In 1841 the Province of Canada took full control of the canal from its private owners.

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