Peninsula Feeder

An exhibit along the Towpath Trail features a diagram of the historic Peninsula Feeder.

NPS/Arrye Rosser

Quick Facts

Location:

Park at Lock 29 Trailhead, 1648 Mill Street, Peninsula, Ohio 44264. Walk north on the Towpath Trail.

Significance:

This is one of the few remaining feeders that supplied river water to the Ohio & Erie Canal, the highway of its day. It helped maintain a standard water depth for the boats that traveled through, pulled by mules.

Designation:

Peninsula Village Historic District; Ohio to Erie Trail; Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area; Ohio and Erie Canal District

Amenities

3 listed

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

Once the Ohio & Erie Canal opened, engineers began grappling with the need to maintain a constant four feet of water. Either there was too much water during times of rain, or too little water because of drought or leaks. In 1830, three years after the Cleveland-to-Akron section of canal opened, engineers and laborers built this feeder complex. A low head dam diverted water from the Cuyahoga River into the Peninsula feeder channel and then into the canal. Head gates controlled the incoming flow. If there was too much water, flood gates could return the excess water to the river. Ahead of you are remnants of the sluice walls that supported these gates. To your left is the bridge that carried the historic towpath over the feeder.

This area is in a low-lying wetland. Please stay on the trail to protect both the historic resources and the sensitive plant community.

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, engineering, water control