Lock and Lockhouse 72 at Mile 174.4 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath

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Lock and Lockhouse 72 are located at Mile 174.4 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath. They cannot be accessed by vehicle. Park upstream at Lock 74 or downstream at the Spring Gap Campground. It is a 1.1-mile hike or bike ride from either one. See the Locks and Lockhouses web page for an interactive location map.

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Lock 72 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was made from limestone quarried at Evitts Creek, which is less than 10 miles away. The walls of the lock are still in great condition, but most of the wooden elements have long since rotted away. All that remains today is a remnant of part of the upstream gate.

Upstream end of Lock 72 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Downstream end of Lock 72 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Remnant of the original gate of Lock 72 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Also still standing is Lockhouse 72. A lockhouse is the residence of the man who is hired to operate the lock. In addition to a yearly salary, he and his family—almost all lockkeepers were family men—lived in the company provided lockhouse and had use of an acre of land for farming. Those who tended multiple locks got extra money per lock, up to two. The locks had to be very close together for the C&O Canal Company to assign multiple locks to one person.

Operating the lock was a year-round, 24-hour-a-day job. When a canal boat approached, the captain would blow a whistle to notify the lockkeeper. If it were nighttime, somebody had to wake up and go to work. Of course, that’s the benefit of being a family man—your kids had to get up for the late night and early morning arrivals!

Lockhouse 72 at Mile 174.4 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath

A quarter mile downstream of Lock 72 is the foundation of a steam pump. In most cases, to fill the canal with water a dam was built to create a deep pool. Water from this pool could be funneled into the canal year-round, even during periods of low rainfall. By the time construction reached the Cumberland area, it was clear that the railroad would soon put the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal out of business, so spending money lavishly was no longer an option. To save money, instead of building a dam, the C&O Canal Company decided to use a pump powered by steam to draw water from the Potomac River and pump it into the canal.

Steam Pump foundation at Lock 72 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (photo by Sonny W)

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