Drive down to the DC area last week.
It has been a busy fall getting the yard ready for the winter, clearing a lot o brush and trees as well as building a snowshoeing/snowmobile trail the back yard. I decided to drive down to DC area and visit some off the beaten path places.
This was a pivotal spot during the Civil War, at one point JEB Stuart had control on the C&O canal Tow path between Violet's lock and Rileys lock.
I should have taken a picture of the Potomac River at this location, it's at least 1/2 mile wide and 4-8ft deep in most spots.
Pretty impressive that 5,000 confederate cavalrymen crossed the river at this location in one night completely un-noticed by the locals.
Trusty old Sub at the bottom of Violet's Lock.
Looking upstream of the lower gate of Violet's lock.
Top gate looking downstream at the inlet channel lock to let the barges on the Potomac River the enter the towpath and bypass the shallow rapids just downstream.
Too many people complained that Snakehead swims up the Potomac River, gets out, crawls into ponds in people's yards and eats their priced Koi, random birds and cats. be on the lookout.
11 aqueducts were constructed on the towpath between Georgetown and Cumberland. This is aqueduct number 1 and is the only one that directly feeds in to a lock after crossing Seneca Creek.
Can't tell well from this picture and but the bridge portion of the aqueduct has eroded over the years and is missing.
Looking upstream up the aqueduct, little bridge to the left was for the towpath mules and now a pedestrian and bike bridge.
Looking downstream you can see a drop off where the barges lost approximately 6 feet of elevation as they traveled up and down the canal. Lower lock gate is still there but can not be easily seen in the picture.
Rileys lock house also known as lock house 24. NPS gives permits for special use for this lock house for school history tours, boy scout and girl scout trips. At one point this was one the lock houses you could stay at while biking the C&O canal. Pretty cool to stay in a building that pre-dates Civil War.
Seneca Creek Rock Mill. A truly hidden and secret gem that has been left to fall into ruin.
Remains of an old rock mill that cut the stones from a quarry nearby. Originally the sandstone came out of here grey in color, howevet as it oxidized it turned red.
It would be great to see this rock mill preserved.
Panoramic view from inside the mill. Stone cut here was used to build the Smithsonian Castle in Washington DC among many other buildings and most of the bridges and locks along the C&O canal.
I have no idea what this 0 mile marker of the blue blaze trail represents. I have not seen any other blue blazes or mile markers with appropriate mileage from this marker. C&O canal is approximately 1/2 mile from this location.
Stay tuned for more shenanigans!
