Lock 28

Lock 28 is better known as Deep Lock.

NPS/Arrye Rosser

Quick Facts

Location:

Park at Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park, 5779 Riverview Road Peninsula, Ohio 44264. Walk downhill to the Towpath Trail. Accessible access via Lock 29 Trailhead.

Significance:

Lock 28 was the deepest lock along the Ohio & Erie Canal and remains relatively intact.

Designation:

Ohio & Erie Canal District; Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area; Ohio to Erie Trail

Amenities

3 listed

Audio Description, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Wheelchair Accessible

Most locks on the Ohio & Erie Canal had an eight-foot lift. Here at Lock 28, there was a steep enough change in the landscape that two locks could have been built. Instead, to save money, canal engineers designed Deep Lock with a 14-foot lift, the greatest one on this canal.

Boatmen and engineers soon figured out that locks this deep took lots of water. Often this lock took twice as long to fill or drain. With that much water coming in, boats could move around a bit in the lock. Examine the image for clues to how the boats were steadied. Passengers and crews heading upstream soon learned to avoid the front of the boat at Deep Lock, as the filling water often sprayed down. The wait was at least 40 minutes here, compared to at least 20 minutes elsewhere. Locks had a reputation for mosquitoes, which was another uncomfortable part of canal travel.

Consider taking a side trip here to Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park. Discover where the blocks that lined the locks along the canal were cut out and shaped.

Tags: cuyahoga valley national park, ohio, midwest, transportation, transportation history, national register of historic places, nr, historic district, cultural landscapes, ohio and erie canal, canal, towpath trail, ohio to erie trail, industrial heartland trail network, ohio and erie canalway, lock, engineering