This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to conduct a Phase 1 site visit at a property located right along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. After completing the site visit, I stopped by the canal to take in this historical feat of engineering!
The Chesapeake and Delaware (C&D) Canal is a man-made waterway that connects the Delaware Bay to the Chesapeake Bay. Given the more direct route, the canal significantly reduced travel time between Philadelphia and Baltimore by nearly 300 miles.
Stretching 14 miles long and approximately 35 feet deep, the canal sees more than 25,000 vessels pass through each year. It is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
When it first opened in 1829, the canal cost $2.5 million to construct, making it one of the most expensive canal projects of its time. Originally, it measured just 10 feet deep and 66 feet wide, but it has since been expanded to accommodate modern shipping needs.
Completing a project of this magnitude with the limited resources available back in the 19th century is truly mind-blowing. Sometimes, you just need to stop and appreciate the engineers who paved the way in our nation's history.
