Grand Rapids 1876

Before leaving Grand Rapids we crossed the river to visit a park which, along with hiking and biking trails ,has a portion of the Miami and Erie Canal that connected Toledo to Cinncinati in the 1800sIt includes one of the origonal locks which have been restored and are functioning using the origonal "wicket gates" installed in the rebuilt wooden gates. For a few bucks you can ride a canal boat pulled by mules down the canal - through the locks and back. Next to the lock is an old mill which was used to saw wood on the first floor and mill grain on the second....and generate electricity. The restored mill is still functional using the water from the canal for power, sawing wood and creating flour. The metal structure you may have noticed above the canal is a railroad trestle completed in 1876.

Canal traffic was in decline by then although it still existed and thats why 1876 is chosen as the year that is recreated - the structures all existed then - ignoring the semi's on the state highway that runs immediatly next to portions of the canal!