Description

Built between 1832 and 1833, the Lockkeeper's House was the home of the toll keeper who collected tolls from those traveling along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Extension. Some accounts report that a resident lockkeeper and his family of 13 children shared the small quarters. The Extension, connecting the C&O Canal to the Washington City Canal, was filled in during the 1870s, as rail shipping replaced canal shipping. The National Park Service acquired the house in the early 1900s, after squatters lived in it for decades, to use for offices and storage.  In December 2016, the Park Service began a renovation project that will move the structure away from a busy intersection, and expand the building to serve as a visitor’s center and exhibition space.

Date

1833 (constructed)

Coverage

1830-1859

Source

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. View original.