Finding the Canal
Like the Great Trail, the Canal roughly parallels SR183 across Brown township from Minerva through Malvern. As you drive past the park in Malvern, you can see the canal's remains along side the road.

In Magnolia, the canal runs behind the flour mill. Celebrate the history of both at their Canal Days Festival.

Boating across eastern Ohio?

As recently as when my Grandparents were born, that was the thing to do.

And in 1850, people saw canals as the future - they dug new branches the way people today start internet companies.

They had high hopes for building bigger communities, for creating jobs and making money, for making personal travel much easier.

On thirteen foot boats, they moved iron, timber, salt, grain, and livestock cross-country, from the ports at Cleveland, through Akron; or from central Ohio out to the world.

And remember, the boats were horsedrawn.

You're better off riding a canal boat today. Back then, you might expect to share the ride with the relief horses.