Canals - Atlas Obscura
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Canals

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View into the lock's chamber.
Zanesville, Ohio

Lock #10 on the Muskingum River

One of the last few period-correct, hand-operated canal locks in the country.
39.9336, -82.0031
Added by theyawningchasm
The Ups and Downs of Being a Canal Lockmaster
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canals

The Ups and Downs of Being a Canal Lockmaster

Keeping a 170-year-old tradition alive on the mighty Muskingum.
August 15, 2018
Dick's Lane Bridge
Warwickshire, England

Dick's Lane Bridge

A great example of the inventive canal bridges that were deliberately split down the middle.
52.3273, -1.7266
Added by Dr Alan P Newman
Ust-Kamenogorsk Lock.
Ust'-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan

Ust-Kamenogorsk Lock

Tucked away along a riverbend in an area known for its uranium mines is one of the world's tallest locks.
49.9016, 82.7191
Added by Edward Denny
Iron rails from the Incline Plane lay discarded, slowly sinking into the earth.
Washington, D.C.

C&O Boat Elevator Ruins

This forgotten boat elevator was an engineering marvel in its heyday.
38.9090, -77.0933
Added by Elliot Carter
Much of the area has been impacted by agriculture and levee construction. But the low lying location still holds water.
Delta, Louisiana

Grant's Canal

The ill-fated plan to reroute the Mississippi so that Union ships could bypass Confederate fortifications on the river bend.
32.3206, -90.9331
Added by crorey1
Salzburg Almkanal, Städtischer Arm
Salzburg, Austria

Almkanal of Salzburg

The medieval network of canals hidden underneath the city is opened to explorers each year.
47.7969, 13.0460
Added by gretchenmora
Looking out over eight lanes of traffic.
Washington, D.C.

The Lockkeeper's House

A derelict bit of infrastructure from the canal that once ran through D.C. is landlocked in the heart of the city.
38.8919, -77.0397
Added by Elliot Carter
Amsterdam Oersoep.
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam Oersoep

A Dutch passageway's artistic, aquatic-themed makeover pays tribute to the capital city's famed waterways.
52.3746, 4.8947
Added by thelittleowl
The Cribs in winter.
Duluth, Minnesota

Uncle Harvey's Mausoleum

The watery grave of an impractical idea.
46.7846, -92.0920
Added by Michael Inscoe
Welcoming sign
Rome, New York

Erie Canal Village

A historic recreation of the golden age of the Erie Canal now sits dilapidated and abandoned.
43.2261, -75.5026
Added by debramillet
The Gaddafi Canal cuts through the landscape like an open wound.
Gourma Rharous, Mali

Gaddafi Canal

Muammar Gaddafi's well-intentioned investment in his favorite city turned out to be a nightmare.
16.7234, -2.9915
Added by hrnick
The Squero di San Trovaso.
Venice, Italy

Squero di San Trovaso

Where Venice's gondolas go for a tune-up.
45.4303, 12.3259
Added by Kavya Ram Mohan
Washington, D.C.

Washington City Canal Outfall

A portal into the bricked up canal that runs through the heart of Washington D.C.
38.8992, -77.0573
Added by Elliot Carter
The sound of the pumping machinery gave the site its nickname of 'Pim-Pam'.
Mazarrón, Spain

Las Salinas of Puerto de Mazarrón

Abandoned tunnels dug for the once-thriving sea salt industry on the coast of southern Spain.
37.5590, -1.2812
Added by Dr Alan P Newman
The Letters of Utrecht, and the poem with no end.
Utrecht, Netherlands

Poem With No End

'The Letters of Utrecht' lays out a ribbon of poetry one letter at a time, with no final verse in sight.
52.0862, 5.1219
Added by Osmo
Straight on view of Support
Venice, Italy

Giant Hands of Venice’s Grand Canal

A new sculpture calls attention to climate change in the centuries-old city it threatens.
45.4406, 12.3344
Added by lewblank
The Biggest Ship Ever to Arrive on the East Coast Has Arrived on the East Coast
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canals

The Biggest Ship Ever to Arrive on the East Coast Has Arrived on the East Coast

The COSCO Development is very large.
May 12, 2017