Fifteenmile Creek Aqueduct at Mile 140.9 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath

The Fifteenmile Creek Aqueduct is located at Mile 140.9 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath. It is a short walk upstream from a large parking area used for the Fifteenmile Creek Campground, boat ramp, and picnic area. See the Locks and Lockhouses web page for an interactive location map.

Construction on the Fifteenmile Creek Aqueduct began in 1838 but was not completed until 1850 due to the canal’s financial troubles, most of which stemmed from the Paw Paw Tunnel construction. In 1842, most work on the canal was shut down and did not resume until 1847.

A canal aqueduct is a nifty little feat of engineering that solves the problem of what to do when a canal crosses paths with a creek or river. Both are waterways, but the canal is a self-contained channel and cannot temporarily merge with the river because all of its water will spill out uncontrollably. The solution is to elevate the canal over the waterway via a bridge. In essence, a large, elevated bathtub must be built—water cannot be leaking out of the bottom and sides. This is done with a thick layer of clay and stone on the bottom and solid stone walls for sides.