07/28/2026
The C&O Canal played an important role in Civil War history, as the Potomac River was a dividing line between the Union and the Confederacy. The canal was strategically important to both sides. Union forces protected the canal and used it for transportation purposes while Confederates tried to damage both the canal and boat traffic. Both used the towpath as a road when war came into the state of Maryland. It was also the site of several clashes at places along the canal like McCoys Ferry.
At Edward’s Ferry, the river was shallow and the crossing was often used as a place where opposing sides would wade into the Potomac and actually meet and exchange pleasantries.
Two years later, and about a week prior to Gettysburg, the entire Union army crossed the Potomac at Edward’s Ferry. The crossing became quite challenging however when scouts far underestimated the width of the river and pontoon bridges fell short of their objectives. The bottleneck created a backup of wagons, artillery and 90,000 men that stretched for more than 20 miles. The Trust preserves this history through the Edward’s Ferry Canal Quarters lockhouse which depicts the Civil War era. The Canal Quarters Interpretive Program funds the maintenance, preservation, and interpretation of historic lockhouses along the canal. Help us continue to preserve historic structures like our Canal Quarters lockhouses: canaltrust.org/give
📸: Jan Branscome
