Canal Construction
This file appears in: Canal Fever: Indianapolis Central Canal
This image of a nearly dry portion of the Indianapolis canal gives a sense of how much labor was involved to dig out canals. This portion of the Canal took approximately 750 laborers to complete. Nearly one in six workers died from the effects of hard labor and the forested, swampy conditions.
Image Courtesy of W.H. Bass Photo Company Collection, Indiana Historical Society.
This file appears in: Canal Fever: Indianapolis Central Canal
Canal Fever: Indianapolis Central Canal
You now stand on White River Trail at the southern point of the canal. In 1836 the canal was meant to be a pathway that would feed goods into and out of Indianapolis, much like today’s major railroads or interstates. Today the canal is a popular…