Ohio & Erie Canal Locks
Construction of Ohio & Erie Canal was in the 1820-30s. It was a 308-mile highway of water that connected Lake Erie at Cleveland to the Ohio River at Portsmouth. By 1911, most of the southern portion of the canal was in disuse. Just two years later, extensive flooding caused destruction of most locks. Very few locks are in tact but their remains are found throughout the state.
Lock South 11 (Upper Gristmill Lock)
Lock South 12 (Tennis/Tennat Lock)
Lock South 13 (Rowe Lock)
Lockville Canal Park
5895 Pickerington Rd
Carroll, OH 43112
Bloom Township | MAP
Hours
Open Year-Round, Dawn to Dusk
About These Locks
Lock South 11 is shown here. In the park you will find the remains of three locks – South 11, South 12 aka Tennis/Tennat Lock, and South 13 aka Rowe Lock. Locks South 14 through 17 are to the north but are on private properties. The canal bed is dry but the towpath is easily discernible.
Then & Now
Map
Directions
Directions from Lancaster: From the corner of N Memorial Dr (US-33) and W Main St (US-22), drive west toward Circleville on Lincoln Av (US-22, Cincinnati-Zanesville Rd SW) approximately 0.4 miles. Turn right onto Cedar Hill Rd (OH-188); drive 3.3 miles. Turn right onto US-33 W; drive 9.6 miles. Turn left onto Pickerington Rd NW; drive 1.5 miles. The entrance is on the right.
Lock South 8 (Bibler Lock)
Behind Baltimore Wastewater Plant
2005 Basil Western Rd NW
Baltimore OH 43105 | MAP
Hours
Open Year-Round, Dawn to Dusk
About This Lock
In an area formerly known as Basil, now part of Baltimore, the remains of Lock South 8 are quietly tucked away behind Baltimore Wastewater Plant. Few except some locals and Ohio & Erie Canal enthusiasts cared about or even knew of its existence. Fairfield County Parks has acquired the property by lease from the Village of Baltimore. It is our goal to maintain and, when possible, preserve or reconstruct the 28+ acres of canal lands for use as a public park and passive recreation area.
In 2018, nine Ohio & Erie Canal locks were approved to be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as a dis-contiguous historic district. The nomination will address their “overall historic and engineering significance of the canal system … as they relate to the history and development of their specific southern Ohio locations”. These locks are:
- Lock South 8, aka Bibler Lock, in Baltimore – Fairfield County
- Lock South 22, aka Groveport Lock, in Groveport – Franklin County
- Locks South 26, 27, 29, 30 in Lockbourne – Franklin County
- Lock South 31, aka Ashville Campbell’s Mill Lock, in Millersport – Pickaway County
- Lock South 48, aka Herod’s Lock, in Rushtown – Scioto County
- Lock South 50, aka Union Mills Lock, in West Portsmouth – Scioto County
When more information about the project is available it will be posted here.
Then & Now
Map
Directions
Directions from Lancaster: From the corner of N Memorial Dr (US-33) and W Main St (US-22), drive north toward Columbus on N Memorial Drive 0.4 miles. Turn right onto 6th Av; drive 0.1 miles. Turn left onto N Columbus St; drive 0.8 miles. N Columbus St turns slightly right and becomes Baltimore Rd NW (OH-158); continue for 6.9 miles. Turn left onto Leonard Rd NW; drive 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Basil Rd NW; drive 1.2 miles. Turn left onto W Market St (OH-256); drive 0.2 miles. Turn left onto Basil Western Rd; drive 0.4 miles.
Directions from Pickerington: From the corner of OH-256 and W Columbus St, drive east toward Baltimore on OH-256; drive approximately 8.1 miles. Turn right onto Basil Western Rd NW; drive 0.4 miles.
Ohio & Erie Canal Locks
Construction of Ohio & Erie Canal was in the 1820-30s. It was a 308-mile highway of water that connected Lake Erie at Cleveland to the Ohio River at Portsmouth. By 1911, most of the southern portion of the canal was in disuse. Just two years later, extensive flooding caused destruction of most locks. Very few locks are in tact but their remains are found throughout the state.
Lock South 11 (Upper Gristmill Lock)
Lock South 12 (Tennis/Tennat Lock)
Lock South 13 (Rowe Lock)
Lockville Canal Park
5895 Pickerington Rd
Carroll, OH 43112
Bloom Township | MAP
Hours
Open Year-Round, Dawn to Dusk
About These Locks
Lock South 11 is shown here. In the park you will find the remains of three locks – South 11, South 12 aka Tennis/Tennat Lock, and South 13 aka Rowe Lock. Locks South 14 through 17 are to the north but are on private properties. The canal bed is dry but the towpath is easily discernible.
Then & Now
Map
Directions
Directions from Lancaster: From the corner of N Memorial Dr (US-33) and W Main St (US-22), drive west toward Circleville on Lincoln Av (US-22, Cincinnati-Zanesville Rd SW) approximately 0.4 miles. Turn right onto Cedar Hill Rd (OH-188); drive 3.3 miles. Turn right onto US-33 W; drive 9.6 miles. Turn left onto Pickerington Rd NW; drive 1.5 miles. The entrance is on the right.
Lock South 8 (Bibler Lock)
Behind Baltimore Wastewater Plant
2005 Basil Western Rd NW
Baltimore OH 43105 | MAP
Hours
Open Year-Round, Dawn to Dusk
About This Lock
In an area formerly known as Basil, now part of Baltimore, the remains of Lock South 8 are quietly tucked away behind Baltimore Wastewater Plant. Few except some locals and Ohio & Erie Canal enthusiasts cared about or even knew of its existence. Fairfield County Parks has acquired the property by lease from the Village of Baltimore. It is our goal to maintain and, when possible, preserve or reconstruct the 28+ acres of canal lands for use as a public park and passive recreation area.
In 2018, nine Ohio & Erie Canal locks were approved to be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as a dis-contiguous historic district. The nomination will address their “overall historic and engineering significance of the canal system … as they relate to the history and development of their specific southern Ohio locations”. These locks are:
- Lock South 8, aka Bibler Lock, in Baltimore – Fairfield County
- Lock South 22, aka Groveport Lock, in Groveport – Franklin County
- Locks South 26, 27, 29, 30 in Lockbourne – Franklin County
- Lock South 31, aka Ashville Campbell’s Mill Lock, in Millersport – Pickaway County
- Lock South 48, aka Herod’s Lock, in Rushtown – Scioto County
- Lock South 50, aka Union Mills Lock, in West Portsmouth – Scioto County
When more information about the project is available it will be posted here.
Then & Now
Map
Directions
Directions from Lancaster: From the corner of N Memorial Dr (US-33) and W Main St (US-22), drive north toward Columbus on N Memorial Drive 0.4 miles. Turn right onto 6th Av; drive 0.1 miles. Turn left onto N Columbus St; drive 0.8 miles. N Columbus St turns slightly right and becomes Baltimore Rd NW (OH-158); continue for 6.9 miles. Turn left onto Leonard Rd NW; drive 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Basil Rd NW; drive 1.2 miles. Turn left onto W Market St (OH-256); drive 0.2 miles. Turn left onto Basil Western Rd; drive 0.4 miles.
Directions from Pickerington: From the corner of OH-256 and W Columbus St, drive east toward Baltimore on OH-256; drive approximately 8.1 miles. Turn right onto Basil Western Rd NW; drive 0.4 miles.
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