In the beginning of the 19th Century, the Ohio & Erie Canal opened up a passageway of growth for Ohio. In 1827 the price of wheat rose from ten cents to a dollar a bushel because of the canal. As the need arose, port towns began popping up along the river -- providing a place for supplies, entertainment, and rest, among other things. Canal Fulton, built in 1814, prospered as one of these port towns and to this day contains many relics from those times.
St. Helena III Canal Boat (OH) [1]
The Canal Fulton Heritage Society owns and operates several attractions that showcase the times of the canal era. To see one such exhibit, hop on board St. Helena III, a facsimile of the boats used on the canal over 100 years ago. Drawn by a team of horses on the shore, St. Helena III makes its way up the Ohio and Erie Canal. Interested visitors can catch the boat at the dock of Canal Fulton's Community Park. From there, St. Helena will glide through the canal to Lock IV, one of the few remaining locks of the canal era; watch the crew deftly maneuver the ship around the turning basin for the return trip.
If the canal boat ride and the living museum leave you hungry for more, you can still visit the Heritage House & Old Canal Days Museum and the E.J. McLaughlin Dry Dock. Filled with such attractions as these, Canal Fulton brings to life the era when the Ohio & Erie Canal helped Ohio begin to bloom. Gaining a greater appreciation for the history helps make the Ohio and Erie Canalway an even more striking experience and will give you many more stories to share when you get home.
